Venue: Pop-Up Gallery at 75 Bridge Street East
Reconfigured references the Gallery’s own process of reconfiguration as its Modernist building is closed for redevelopment. This first exhibition in the Gallery’s temporary home at 75 Bridge Street East will feature works that focus on the reuse or repurposing of materials, compositions and ideas.
A feature of the exhibition will be the opportunity for visitors and community members to “reconfigure” a painting by Mark Galea. The work was created for Mark’s teacher, friend and fellow artist Robert Jacks, and is made up of 36 panels in a 6 x 6 grid. Mark explained the variable configuration as: “The sequence is random. The idea was to be able to reinterpret the work, enabling the owner interaction and authorship over their version of the work.” Visitors to the pop-up gallery will be able to curate a mock-up version of the painting and then submit their layout for consideration. The curator will choose new layouts to change the painting throughout the exhibition period.
Artworks from the Benalla Art Gallery Collection include new acquisitions which have yet to be exhibited along with some old favourites. Drawing, paintings, photography and sculptures from the Collection will be complemented by textiles from the Benalla U3A Patchwork and Craft group.
The U3A Patchwork and Craft group meets on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday from 1 to 4 pm at the Seniors and Community Centre. It is a group for members with skills in patchworking, quilting and other crafts who enjoy each others support, encouragement and company as they complete existing projects and take on new challenges. The group create patchwork quilts together and donate these to the local hospital and charities. This year they have already donated 25 quilts that they have made.
Benalla Art Gallery Collection artists include:
Waigan DJANGHARA, Mark GALEA, Rosalie GASCOIGNE, Robert JACKS, Matthew JOHNSON, Inge KING, Eamon O’TOOLE, Norma REDPATH, Madonna STAUNTON, Guy STUART
Image:
Mark GALEA
Untitled c.2000
acrylic on 36 plywood panels
133.5 x 133.5 cm
Donated by the Estate of Robert Jacks, 2023
Benalla Art Gallery Collection
