Glimpse at Gallery Central
Part of the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial 2024
An ambitious exhibition of new ceramic installations by five WA artists whose work focuses on the environmental issues we face.
Ceramics’ roots in the earth and natural materials offer a visual account of a shared human history – a perfect bridge that connects us regardless of linguistic or cultural differences.
Here, we utilise the traditional and earthy material to speak of contemporary environmental issues that we are connected with. Exhibited work is created especially for this exhibition and intends to engage the viewers with the objects in the space.
Exhibiting artists include Kathy Allam, Beverley Iles, Holly O’Meehan, Valerie Schoenjahn and Andrea Vinkovic.
Assisted by Lyn Nixon
9 August – 5 September 2024
Gallery view; Limited Minerals installation
The series of artworks title Limited Minerals interrogates the long term effects both native and introduced flora have on built structures, specifically referencing the unique biodiversity of the Western Australian environment and its impacts on relatively new structures that have been built using the very same minerals and materials the local flora rely on to survive.
These artworks speculate a future environment of evolved flora species, hybrids of both native and introduced plants, that slowly but surely regain control of the landscapes’ minerals that currently stand as bricks and concrete, walls and foundations, residential structures and infrastructure. The artworks will be created using a combination of disregarded rubble from construction sites, newly formed ceramic objects and ephemeral clay additions to be developed through out the exhibition period.
O’Meehans art practice often comments on the state of the natural environment, particularly with in her home state of WA, and analyses the long term effects colonial agricultural processes and land clearing have on the unique flora and fauna endemic to the land. Her works often speculate the evolution of endangered flora species into offensive organisms with the ability to use the debris we humans create in order to turn our aggressive and invasive methods against us.
Photo Credit: Valerie Schoenjahn