JamFactory ICON Kunmanara Carroll: Ngaylu Nyanganyi Ngura Winki (I Can See All Those Places) to open at SAM
6 July 2023
Victorian exclusive at the Shepparton Art Museum: Major touring exhibition JamFactory ICON Kunmanara Carroll: Ngaylu Nyanganyi Ngura Winki (I Can See All Those Places) to open 1 July.
Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is proud to partner with JamFactory, Adelaide to present a survey exhibition of Luritja/Pintupi/Pitjantjatjara artist Kunmanara Carroll, showing from 1 July to 22 October 2023. JamFactory ICON Kunmanara Carroll: Ngaylu Nyanganyi Ngura Winki (I Can See All Those Places) is a major solo exhibition showcasing a significant body of Carroll’s final ceramic works and paintings, supported by a tapestry produced by the Australian Tapestry Workshop. The exhibition is touring to 12 venues nationally until mid-2024, with SAM as the exclusive Victorian venue on the exhibition’s tour.
Born in 1950, Kunmanara Carroll lived and worked in Pukatja in the APY Lands from the age of 19. He joined Ernabella Arts in 2009 following his retirement from the health and community fields, and in time established himself as one of the art centre’s most senior and revered practitioners. Carroll remained a respected elder in the Pukatja community until his recent death in 2021 and is survived by his wife, artist Alison Milyika Carroll, also a respected senior within the community.
Over his creative career, Carroll’s paternal homeland served as an unwavering source of inspiration and a recurring subject within his painting and ceramic sculpture practice. In 2017, a project entitled Mark and Memory brought Carroll back to his grandmother’s and father’s Country near Kintore (NT) and Kiwirrkura (WA). The works inspired by this visit, created over 2020 and 2021, make up the body of Ngaylu Nyanganyi Ngura Winki. The captivating artworks, complemented by the collaborative textile created with the Australian Tapestry Workshop, merge Carroll’s deep knowledge of Country with his beautifully intricate yet minimalist style.
Belinda Briggs, SAM Curator – Indigenous, says of the exhibition:
“Kunmanara Carroll’s practice spans a mere 10 years, but in the body of his clay vessels and across his mark-making are stories older than life itself. His paintings and ceramics display a masterful relationship between mind, spirit, heart and hands. Through this exhibition, Carroll sustains the cultural continuum of passing on knowledge and love of Country through paint and clay.”
Since 2013, JamFactory’s annual ICON exhibitions have celebrated the achievements of South Australia’s most influential visual artists working in craft-based media. Kunmanara Carroll is the first Aboriginal artist to be featured in the JamFactory ICON series since its inception. The exhibition is accompanied by a major monograph publication, which will be available for purchase from the SAM Shop during the exhibition’s duration.
The exhibition will be supported by a number of public and educational programs and resources. The official exhibition opening of Ngaylu Nyanganyi Ngura Winki will take place during SAM at Sunset, the museum’s monthly late-night program, on Thursday 27 July.
JamFactory ICON Kunmanara Carroll: Ngaylu Nyanganyi Ngura Winki (I Can See All Those Places) will be showing at SAM from 1 July until 22 October. Entry to the museum and the exhibition is free.
JamFactory ICON Kunmanara Carroll: Ngaylu Nyanganyi Ngura Winki (I Can See All Those Places) is a JamFactory touring exhibition. JamFactory ICON Kunmanara Carroll: Ngaylu Nyanganyi Ngura Winki (I Can See All Those Places) has been assisted by the South Australian Government through the Department for Innovation and Skills and the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, Contemporary Touring Initiative.
Ernabella Arts and the Carroll family gratefully acknowledge support from the Government of South Australia through Arts SA and the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council for the Arts and the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) program.
FEATURED IMAGE: Kunmanara Carroll, Walungurru, 2020, stoneware, 550 x 300 x 640 mm and 430x 140 x 240 mm (2 piece); Kiwirrkura, 2020, stoneware, 505 x 170 x 185 mm. Photo: Grant Hancock
New children’s exhibition Little big, Big little now open at Shepparton Art Museum.
6 July 2023
New children’s exhibition Little big, Big little now open at Shepparton Art Museum.
Shepparton Art Museum’s (SAM) latest exhibition Little big, Big little is now open in the SAM Children’s Gallery. Utilising artworks from SAM’s own collection, this vibrant show has been designed for young audiences, and provides parents and carers with the opportunity to engage with children in creative play while introducing them to elements and principles of art, such as colour, scale, rhythm, and texture.
The works on display demonstrate a range of artistic movements, forms, and concepts and are presented in a colourful, dynamic space that encourages exploration and curiosity. Artists whose works are featured in the show include Renee So, Naomi Hobson and Barrie Goddard.
Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Curator – Community, says of the exhibition:
“With this exhibition we’ve created a space that is full of colour and have selected artworks from a range of eras with engaging textures and shapes to create a fun and inviting space for kids. We hope a trip to SAM, particularly the Children’s Gallery, will inspire kids to engage in the arts and get creative themselves - we have a drawing activity in the gallery should inspiration strike! We haven't yet had a SAM Collection show in the Children’s Gallery; hopefully, visitors both big and small enjoy the show and come away with a better understanding of how different artists use different approaches in artworks they see inside and outside of SAM.”
Each work has a wall label designed for kids or the young at heart and can be used as prompts to consider and understand specific elements of the artworks. Extended labels are also available to equip adults with additional information to encourage further conversation between children and parents. Artworks have been displayed at a lower height to help smaller children interact with the works and take in their full detail.
In addition to the exhibition, visitors can let their imagination loose with a number of activities available within the space. The activities, inspired by the artworks, are designed to help audiences of all ages engage more deeply with the exhibition and exercise their own creativity within the vibrant space. Visitors are invited to leave their creations in the box provided for SAM to display each week in celebration of the creativity of our community.
Little big, Big little is now showing at Shepparton Art Museum until 3 September 2023. Entry is free – SAM is open six days, 10am-4pm from Wednesday to Monday and 10am-5pm on weekends. SAM is closed on Tuesdays.
Featured image: Little big, Big little, installation view, Shepparton Art Museum, 2023. Photo: Leon Schoots
Artists in conversation, art making activities and music return on 25 May at SAM at Sunset
6 July 2023
Artists in conversation, art making activities and music return to SAM on 25 May as part of SAM at Sunset
Shepparton Art Museum’s (SAM) monthly late-night program SAM at Sunset returns on Thursday 25 May from 5pm with an evening of art, talks, drinks and live music. Visitors are invited to explore the galleries after dark and enjoy drinks and music at the museum’s Level 4 function space.
At 6pm Ash Keating, the Melbourne-based artist behind SAM’s current major exhibition ELEVATION, will share his creative journey, exploring the evolution of his distinct style. He will be joined by Blackartprojects Director David Hagger, who works closely on major public art projects with Keating, and SAM CEO Melinda Martin.
Visitors can also enjoy a tour with SAM staff highlighting key works from SAM’s extensive art collection, which has been built over the museum’s 87-year history.
The Level 4 Bar will once again be open for an evening of drinks and nibbles, where guests can watch the sun set with a live DJ set from Shepparton-based online record store Record Per Tutti. Attendees will also have the opportunity to get creative with a hands-on still-life sketching activity, featuring ceramics from the SAM Collection. With its relaxed atmosphere, the terrace bar is perfect for after-work drinks, date night, or a catch-up with friends. All galleries and the museum shop will be open for extended-hours access and evening shopping.
Gabriella Calandro, SAM Head of Engagement, says of the program:
“We are excited to have Ash return to SAM and dive a little deeper into his fascinating artistic practice. With only one month left of ELEVATION, this conversation with Ash, David and Melinda will be one of the last chances for our community to engage with the artist directly about the show and his work. SAM at Sunset, on the whole, is a great opportunity for people to enjoy SAM after hours. Late-night gallery programs are popular across the world, and it’s great to see our community embrace this culture and come to enjoy the museum after dark.”
SAM at Sunset will be held on Thursday 25 May from 5pm to 8pm. Entry to the museum and to the talks are free; tickets to the Level 4 bar and live music are now on sale via Trybooking or can be purchased on the night: https://www.trybooking.com/CIGDE