He’s Here! The Launch of Larry’s Big Brother
7 March 2006
Director of the Shepparton Art Gallery Leanne Willis is delighted to announce that Larry’s big brother, ‘Louis’, will be unveiled as part of the SheppARTon Festival on Saturday 11 March.
Artist Pamela Irving, who donated the original Larry to the Shepparton Art Gallery, has created this new sculpture after Larry was destroyed by vandals in May 2005.
“The public appeal to raise funds for Larry, as well as the colouring competition held through the gallery, showed just how much people loved Larry and how disappointing it was to see him destroyed,” says Ms Willis.
“We are inviting everyone to come to the launch to welcome Louis and to thank those community members who donated money to have him rebuilt,” says Ms Willis.
Louis is 2.6 metres high, 3.5 metres long and 1.6 metres wide, and is built around a steel frame using thick concrete covered in Italian Bisazza glass.
The launch will take place on the Eastbank Centre lawn at 1.30pm on Saturday 11 March.
Free Events During Week Two of SheppARTon Festival
7 March 2006
With the SheppARTon Festival now in full swing, Chairperson Adam Furphy reminds everyone that there are some great events that are free!
“This year we’ve been able to incorporate some fantastic free exhibitions and events into the program,” says Mr Furphy.
“These free events are a great way for people who may not be that interested in art to get along and have a look at some of the great local and national talent we have,” he says.
Free events include:
- ‘Live at the Park’
7.00pm to 11.00pm Friday 10 March, S-Scape Skate Park, Victoria Park Lake, Shepparton
Be entertained by the sound of a range of bands and DJs, including some local bands. - ‘Art in the Park’
11.00am to 4.00pm Saturday 11 March, Queens Gardens, Welsford Street, Shepparton
Queens Gardens will be full of art, music and artists. A chance to get up close and personal with ‘the makers’. - ‘Launch of Larry’s brother’
1.30pm Saturday 11 March, Eastbank Centre Lawn, 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton
Larry’s big brother Louis will be launched, thanks to the many community members who donated money. - ‘Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’
7.00pm Sunday 12 March at Queens Gardens, Welsford Street, Shepparton
Families will gather together on picnic rugs to enjoy the original musical starring Gene Wilder.
And Everyone Was An Optimist
1 March 2006
The Shepparton Art Gallery, in conjunction with the SheppARTon Festival, is proud to present, And everyone was an optimist, an exhibition of artworks by Kate Durham.
Ms Durham’s artwork probes deeply into the experience of refugees in detainment camps and in particular has investigated the sinking of the SIEV X boat on 19 October 2001. This incident occurred when an overloaded boat carrying approximately 400 asylum seekers sunk in Australian waters. Of the 353 people who drowned, most were women and children.
The signature work in Kate’s exhibition consists of a collection of 20cm square paintings, each depicting one of the people who died that night. The exhibition is dedicated to Amal Basry, a survivor of the SIEV X tragedy.
“Kate’s exhibition raises our attention to the plight of these women and children, who were desperately trying to join their husbands and fathers who had already obtained refugee protection in Australia,” explains Kirsten Lacy, Curator of the Shepparton Art Gallery.
In addition to Kate’s work addressing the sinking of the SIEV X, in 2001 she established Spare Rooms for Refugees, a project to provide community accommodation for asylum seekers. Additionally, in August 2002 Kate assisted BBC Correspondent with the Pacific Solution program. Kate and an undercover journalist entered and filmed the detention camps in Nauru with secret cameras. The footage they took formed the basis of a film, which was has until now screened on BBC worldwide but not in Australia.
This film is screening as part of the SheppARTon Festival and provides a unique opportunity to learn about the kind of experiences refugees in our community may have had.
Kate’s exhibition is to be opened by local Shepparton resident Shahrezi Hussaini. Shahrezi is an Afghani boy who was detained for three and half years in detention facilities in Nauru. The opening is an alcohol free event and is observant of Iraqi and Afghani customs. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Opening Address: Shahrezi Hussaini, Afghani boy, three and a half years detained in Nauru
Opening: 4.00pm Saturday 4 March
At: Shepparton Art Gallery, 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton VIC 3630
RSVP: by Wednesday 1 March on 5832 9861.
Admission to the Shepparton Art Gallery is free and it is open seven days a week from 10.00am to 4.00pm. The gallery is located in the Eastbank Centre, 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton, phone (03) 5832 9861.
Council Welcomes SheppARTon Festival
28 February 2006
The Greater Shepparton City Council is welcoming the beginning of the 2006 SheppARTon Festival, ‘Harmony’, and its program of events over the coming weeks.
Mayor Jenny Houlihan says the Council is encouraging all local residents to support the events that will visit the region for this year’s festival.
“We wish the organisers of the SheppARTon Festival well for the coming weeks for what has become the leading arts and entertainment festival on our calendar,” says Cr Houlihan.
“The festival has been such a great success in the past and this year’s theme of ‘Harmony’ celebrates the rich and diverse relationships we share in our community,” says Cr Houlihan.
The 2006 SheppARTon Festival will be officially launched at a free event at Eastbank at 7.30pm on Thursday 2 March. The launch will feature a performance by King Marong and Safara (Gambian musicians and dancers) as well as local indigenous performers.
There will also be the opportunity to view four visual art exhibitions – the Jed Award, Creative Textiles, the 2006 Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramics Award and VCE 2005.
The Jed Award is a two-dimensional art exhibition that focuses on the festival theme of ‘Harmony’. Three prizes will be awarded and everyone is encouraged to come along to purchase a painting or to vote for their favourite in the People’s Choice Award.
For further information about the SheppARTon Festival and the program of events contact Claire Greatorex on 5832 9501 or visit the festival website at www.sheppartonfestival.net.au. Program guides can be collected from Riverlinks and other festival venues around Shepparton.
The SheppARTon Festival, in partnership with the University of Melbourne, will run from 2 to 13 March.
For all bookings contact Riverlinks on 5832 9511.
Gallery Abuzz During the SheppARTon Festival
27 February 2006
The Shepparton Art Gallery will be a hive of activity during the SheppARTon Festival, with several exhibitions and art classes set to take place.
The “VCE Art 2005” exhibition, which opened on Wednesday 15 February, will continue during the festival. In its tenth year, the exhibition features the works of students in their final years of VCE and is a collaboration between the Shepparton Art Gallery and local art teachers.
Leanne Willis, Director of the Shepparton Art Gallery, says that the exhibition showcases a diverse use of media and artistic concerns.
“For many of these artists, it is their first time exhibition in a gallery or even having their work on public display,” says Ms Willis.
“The exhibition illustrates young people’s engagement in social issues, a keenness to embrace new media technologies, the influence of prominent Australian artists and their own intimate and personal expressions,” says Ms Willis.
“The exhibition aims to encourage, recognise and value the talents of the young people of our region and the artworks that are generated present facets of their imaginations, as well as their concerns and views of the world,” says Ms Willis.
The launch of the Kate Durham Exhibition will take place at 4.00pm on Saturday 4 March. Kate, a Melbourne-based artist practising in jewellery, sculpture and drawing, travelled to Nauru in 2002 and provided the first images of Australia’s Pacific Solution. Kate will open this exhibition together with some of Shepparton’s newest residents with first hand experience of the asylum seeker’s story.
Ceramics lovers will delight at the exhibition of 39 artworks on display as part of the Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramics Award. The exhibition showcases artwork from 11 countries, including Australia, Japan, Canada, United States of America, United Kingdom and New Zealand.
Free Events During Week One of the SheppARTon Festival
27 February 2006
With the SheppARTon Festival set to kick off on Thursday 2 March, Chairperson Adam Furphy reminds everyone that there are some great events that are free!
“This year we’ve been able to incorporate some fantastic free exhibitions and events into the program,” says Mr Furphy.
“These free events are a great way for people who may not be that interested in art to get along and have a look at some of the great local and national talent we have,” he says.
Free events include:
‘Pacific Solution: a documentary by Sarah Macdonald’
10.00am Sunday 5 March at Harder Auditorium, Goulburn Ovens TAFE, Shepparton
Kate Durham and her crew secretly filmed inside refugee camps in Nauru and all over the island. This is the documentary’s premiere in Australia.
‘Taste of Tatura’
10.00am Sunday 5 March at Mactier Park, Tatura
Caters for thousands wishing to sample top wines and gourmet foods of the Goulburn Valley, while listening to great jazz. Also features children’s entertainment.
‘Sadako’
6.00pm Sunday 5 March at Queens Gardens, Welsford Street, Shepparton
Tells of the heart wrenching story of Sadako, a child of Hiroshima, who faces the final horror of World War II.
‘Tenzin Choegyal – Songs of the Mandala’
8.00pm Sunday 5 March at Queens Gardens, Welsford Street, Shepparton
One of Tibet’s leading folk singers. His vocal style crosses cultural barriers and transports audiences to his Himalayan origins.
‘Heads by Head – Arty Farty’ exhibition launch
6.30pm Monday 6 March at Bohjass Restaurant and Wine Bar, Wyndham Street, Shepparton
John Head turns his portrait painting skills to representing a range of individuals who may be regarded as ‘prominent’ in the local arts scene.
‘Koori Court Art Award’
6.00pm Wednesday 8 March at Shepparton Magistrate’s Court Foyer, High Street, Shepparton
The launch and announcement of this new and major Indigenous acquisitive art prize celebrates the cross cultural and social justice achievements of Shepparton’s Koori Court.
Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramics Award Winners
26 February 2006
Thirty nine ceramic pieces from 11 different countries are being showcased at the Shepparton Art Gallery from Friday 24 February as part of the Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramics Award in association with La Trobe University.
The winners (judged by international judge Akio Takamori) were announced at the opening on 24 February at the Shepparton Art Gallery.
THE SIDNEY MYER FUND PREMIER AWARD: $15,000
Ana Rosenzweig, Portrait, Spain
FRIENDS OF THE SHEPPARTON ART GALLERY SOCIETY AWARD OF MERIT: $3,500
- Vida Sobott, The bride stripped bare… and fled (2005), Australia
LA TROBE UNIVERSITY AWARD OF MERIT: $3,000
- Tina Vlassopulos, Spiral, United Kingdom
POYNTZPASS PIONEERS AWARD OF MERIT: $2,500
- Hideaki Suzuki, Black Dimension, Japan
Special acquisitions to the Shepparton Art Gallery collection:
- Lynda Draper, Australia, Still Life
Lee Renninger, USA, Shag
The 2006 award, which received 317 entries, features a wide selection of contemporary international ceramics from countries such as Japan, Australia, Canada, United States of America, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Switzerland, Lithuania, South Korea, Spain and South Africa.
The international judge, Akio Takamori from Washington, USA, is currently an Associate Professor at the School of Art, University of Washington and has an international reputation in his field. The exhibition will be on display at the Shepparton Art Gallery until Sunday 30 April 2006.
Images of all works are available on request.
Admission to the Shepparton Art Gallery is free and it is open seven days a week from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. The gallery is located in the Eastbank Centre, 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton, phone (03) 5832 9861.
Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramics Award
21 February 2006
Thirty nine ceramic pieces from 11 different countries will be showcased at the Shepparton Art Gallery from Friday 24 February as part of the Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramics Award in association with La Trobe University.
The biannual award, offers a $15,000 Premier Award with a further $9,500 in other prizes and acquisitions, with the winners to be announced at the opening on 24 February.
The 2006 award, which received 317 entries, features a wide selection of contemporary international ceramics from countries such as Japan, Australia, Canada, United States of America, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Switzerland, Lithuania, South Korea, Spain and South Africa.
To be considered for the award, each ceramist sends a slide of their work, a CV and entry form to Shepparton. These entries are then forwarded on to an international judge who selects the pieces for exhibition.
In 2006 the international judge is Akio Takamori from Washington, USA. Akio is currently an Associate Professor at the School of Art, University of Washington and has an international reputation in his field.
Takamori will fly to Australia before the exhibition opens to select the winners of the award and to be a key note speaker at the seminar that is held in association with the exhibition.
The exhibition will be on display at the Shepparton Art Gallery from Friday 24 February to Sunday 30 April 2006.
For enquiries please contact the Shepparton Art Gallery on (03) 5832 9861.
Admission to the Shepparton Art Gallery is free and it is open seven days a week from 10.00am to 4.00pm. The gallery is located in the Eastbank Centre, 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton.
Guest Chef Adds to the Music Festival Menu
5 February 2006
Celebrity chef Stefano de Pieri will be the guest chef for a special two course meal to be presented prior to the Shepparton concert by international guitarist, Massimo Scattolin on Sunday 12 February.
De Pieri and his brother Sergio are the organisers of the Murray River International Music Festival which is presenting a number of events in Shepparton between 9 and 12 February and this luncheon, followed by the concert by highly acclaimed Italian guitarist, Massimo Scattolin, will be a climax to four days of great music.
The two course meal, including wines, will cost $40 per head and will commence at 12.00pm, giving plenty of time for a leisurely lunch prior to the 3.00pm concert.
Bookings for the luncheon can be made, along with bookings to the concert, through the Riverlinks Box Office.
Guitarist Massimo Scattolin began his concert career as a soloist and later took up chamber music. He has developed a reputation in Europe and the United States as a brilliant executor of his art. In this concert he will perform some of the most popular classics for guitar.
Stefano de Pieri has for some time been a prominent ambassador for the Murray River system through his passion for fine food and wine. The concern of Stefano and brother Sergio for one of Australia’s greatest water catchments, and their complementary interests in food and music, have inspired the creation this great festival.
Stefano’s presence in Shepparton is an indication of how important our section of the festival is (and how important the Goulburn River is in relation to the health of the Murray). He will speak at the luncheon about his aspirations for both the festival of music and the cultural partnerships that he hopes can unite towns along the great rivers.
Other Shepparton highlights of the Murray River International Music festival will include a very funny production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “HMS PINAFORE”, a concert featuring Beethoven’s piano concertos, played on the Shepparton Steinway by internationally renowned pianist Anthony Halliday, soprano Louisa Hunter-Bradley and organist David Mcfarlane in a concert at Wesley Church, and an evening of ‘Tango Fever’ featuring international accordion player, Mirko Satto, and Tango dancers, Adrienne and Andrew Gill.
The Festival is supported by sponsors Tourism Victoria, The Murray Campaign Committee, Tasco Inland, Hertz, Mildura Grand Hotel, Mildura Brewery and Mildura Arts Centre, Telstra Country Wide, Stefano de Pieri, and Regional Express, and is supported in Shepparton by the Greater Shepparton City Council through its Riverlinks program.
Following are the details of the MRIMF events being staged in Shepparton.
All booking inquiries can be directed to Riverlinks Box Office on 5832 9511.
HMS PINAFORE (THE FINAL SAIL) BY PROMAC PRODUCTIONS
Thursday 9 February 2006 2.00pm EASTBANK
Starring the hilarious Brian Hannan and a cast of just 5 this is a rollicking and very funny rendition of this G&S favourite.
BEETHOVEN’S PIANO SONATAS PLAYED BY ANTHONY HALLIDAY
Friday 10 February 2006 8.00pm EASTBANK
Critically acclaimed pianist, Anthony Halliday, has given recitals throughout Australia and in Europe. In this recital he focuses exclusively on Beethoven’s Sonatas.
LOUISA HUNTER-BRADLEY, SOPRANO
DAVID MACFARLANE, ORGAN
Saturday 11 February 2006 5.30pm (note this is a change to the originally scheduled time) WESLEY CHURCH
Louisa Hunter-Bradley has extensive experience with Australian performance groups including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and at notable festivals in Australia and Europe. David Macfarlane has performed throughout Australia, as soloist and continuo player on organ and harpsichord. He will play the wonderful Wesley organ in this concert
MIRKO SATTO, ACCORDION
ADRIENNE AND ANDREW GILL, TANGO DANCERS
Saturday 11 February 2006 8.00pm EASTBANK
Mirko Satto studied accordion at the Steffani Conservatorium of Castelfranco, Veneto in Italy. He has performed as a soloist, in duo and with chamber and orchestral groups throughout Italy and Europe. Adrienne & Andrew Gill, professional Argentine tango teachers and performers, are recognized internationally for the artistry and romance of their tango.
(Presented in a cabaret setting, food and wine available to purchase from Eastbankfood.)
MASSIMO SCATTOLIN, GUITAR
Sunday 12 February 2006 3.00pm EASTBANK
Massimo Scattolin began his concert career as a soloist and later took up chamber music. He has performed original compositions by Violet Archer and Astor Piazzolla and has developed a reputation in Europe and the United States as a brilliant executor of his art.
(A two course meal with guest chef Stefano de Pieri will be available from 12.00pm.)
Let’s Talk Art Returns in 2006
29 January 2006
The Let’s Talk Art lecture series will return to the Shepparton Art Gallery on Thursday 16 February with photographer Donna Bailey as guest speaker.
Ms Bailey is one of the finalists of the 2003 Leica/CCP Documentary Photography Award, currently showing at the gallery until 19 February, and will be speaking on the topic ‘Documenting the Young Subject’.
After beginning a Bachelor of Arts degree at La Trobe University in Bendigo, Ms Bailey found that she disliked the subjects and searched for other challenges. She began experimenting with a large format camera that she borrowed from the university and took a few shots of her children in and around her 1.2 hectare property at Kangaroo Flat.
These early experiments developed into an ongoing series on Bailey’s children and their friends at home. The recurring backdrop for her documentary style photographs has become her semi-rural backyard, populated by a constantly evolving young cast.
Bailey views the process of taking the photographs as a collaboration between herself and her young subjects and it is this relationship and the photographic process that she will discuss in her lecture.
The cost of the lecture is a gold coin donation and bookings can be made through the Shepparton Art Gallery on 5832 9861.
After School Clay Modelling at the Gallery
26 January 2006
Kids, get your art smocks ready!
From Tuesday 31 January the Shepparton Art Gallery will be offering after school clay modelling classes for children aged eight to 12 years.
Students will learn how to model three dimensional objects in clay and particularly how to do the tricky stuff like making the legs stay on the creature they’ve made!
Shepparton Art Gallery Acting Education Officer Angie Russi says that the fun program will also see students experimenting with ceramic construction techniques used to make hollow forms.
“Creations can be coloured, glazed and fired and ready to take home at the end of the program,” says Ms Russi.
All materials are provided but children are to bring their own art smock.
The program will run from 4.00pm to 5.00pm on Tuesdays for six weeks, commencing 31 January and concluding 7 March. The cost of the program is $46 or $40 for Friends of the Shepparton Art Gallery.
Bookings are essential as there are limited places. Payment must be made in advance and no refund will be given on short notice cancellations.
For more information on After School Clay Modelling contact the gallery on 5832 9861.
Ever Wanted to be a ‘Cultural Ambassador’?
24 January 2006
Well now’s your chance!
The Shepparton Art Gallery is conducting a Volunteer Guide Course from 1 February 2006 in the lead up to the International Ceramic Award Exhibition on 24 February.
Gallery Curator Kirsten Lacy says that volunteers will be trained in public presentation techniques and will build a working knowledge of the gallery collection, with particular attention paid to the ceramic collection.
“Volunteer guides will then have the opportunity to practice their skills and meet artists and visitors at the International Ceramic Award Exhibition,” says Ms Lacy.
“Research methods and practice will be introduced with participation in gallery life encouraged and nurtured,” adds Ms Lacy.
The course is free and interested participants should contact the gallery on 5832 9861.
Think Tank
24 January 2006
An exhibition of paintings by local artist Tank has opened at the Shepparton Art Gallery.
Opened last Friday at the Shepparton Art Gallery is an exhibition of oil paintings several years in the making by local artist Tank. Tank is well celebrated in Shepparton for his artwork on several of the cows in the MooovingArt Parade, in addition to his paintings decorating the walls of the Yahoo Bar. THINK TANK is the artist’s inaugural solo exhibition and defines him as a rising talent in the region.
Tank is an artist that finds humor in the harsher ironies of life. For some people the vision of a lone baby, sitting in waist high water, holding onto to a live electric current that could become submerged at any time, is a vision of pure horror. This isn’t so for Tank. With a kind of perpetual hindsight, Tank is able to step back and find amusement in the strange and awkward situations in which his characters find themselves.
His paintings have a science-fiction, comic book style, where dangerous situations and futuristic landscapes become metaphors for other aspects of life, such as loneliness, abandonment, thwarted hopes or unanswered prayers. His images are sometimes captioned with statements creating a play on words. An example of this is the painting The Organ Grinder and his Monkey which does not depict a man and his monkey operating the musical instrument in the street as was common before the advent of radio, but a metal meat grinder, grinding ‘organs’. In Tank’s picture it is the grinding machine which seems to control and own the monkey, depicted as a small man.
The title of the exhibition is itself a play on words. Kirsten Lacy, curator at the Shepparton Art Gallery says the title acts as a self instruction to the artist to ‘think’ and also a noun in the sense that we are entering a Think Tank of sorts when we enter this exhibition.
“In this way the title reflects that Tank wants people to engage with his work, to contemplate how his stories might unravel and to use them as a kind of flexible metonym for own lives,” says Ms Lacy.
Think Tank continues until 12 February.
Leica/CCP Documentary Photography Award Opens at Shepparton Art Gallery
24 January 2006
The 2003 Leica/CCP Documentary Photography Award, Australia’s most prestigious survey of contemporary documentary photography, has opened at the Shepparton Art Gallery.
Entries for the 2003 exhibition are a diverse and provocative mix, ranging from the political to the personal, the abstract to the intense. The works cover subjects as diverse as bushfires, teenage debutantes and hardware stores and range from presenting sobering issues of social realism, to a celebration of the quieter moments in life.
Running since 1997, the Leica/CCP exhibition represents a unique initiative in the support of documentary photography. The works provide a fascinating entry point into the variety of approaches and concerns which characterise documentary practice today. Finalists are selected by a panel of distinguished judges, including Radio National Art Critic Bruce James who said of the exhibition:
“Without documentary photography, photography itself is diminished. It is the conscience of the medium. At a time when technical manipulation and theoretical mediation exert a powerful influence in photography, that some photographers continue to bear witness to the world around them, undistracted by the endless possibilities for distraction in 21st century life and culture, is something to celebrate.”
Monash student Domenico Cozzolino was announced as the 2003 winner for his series Arcadia Del Sud: West Heidelberg, Melbourne, Australia, Circa 1966. This work is a digital reworking of a series of shots taken by Cozzolino as a teenager in the mid to late 1960s, showing his parents basking in their new-found economic freedom as ‘New Australians’ in the land he has called ‘Arcadia of the South’. These images show his parents in their recently purchased brick veneer home in the Victorian Housing Commission estate of West Heidelberg. They are proud of their garden, chooks and of the ‘new’ second-hand Austin Freeway in the drive. On the surface a picture of suburban simplicity and innocence, the photos also hint at the loneliness and cultural isolation his parents faced as first generation migrants.
Friends of the Shepparton Art Gallery Coffee Morning
The guest speaker for February will be Ray Sizer. Ray is a multi award winning documentary photographer and works for the Shepparton News. We are all familiar with Ray’s extraordinary ability to capture ‘the moment’ – a picture that tells a thousand words. On Wednesday 1 February at 10.00am Ray Sizer will talk about his
professional practice and the techniques used in the Leica Award exhibits. All welcome.
LET’S TALK ART: La Trobe University Lecture Series
On 16 February at 5.30pm 2003 Leica Finalist Donna Bailey will present a lecture titled ‘Documenting the subject’.
Bailey, now a PhD candidate in the La Trobe University Visual Arts Department, initially experimented using a large format camera that she borrowed from the University. She began by taking a few shots of her children in and around her 1.2 hectare property in Kangaroo Flat, near Bendigo. These early experiments developed into an ongoing series on Bailey’s children and their friends at home. The recurring backdrop for her documentary style photographs has become her semi-rural backyard, populated by a constantly evolving young cast.
COST: Gold coin donation BOOKINGS: ph 5832 9861
Murray River International Music Festival
22 January 2006
The Murray River International Music Festival will be held in many towns and communities along the Murray and its tributaries during January and February 2006.
The festival brings together the highest calibre of overseas and Australian musicians in a varied program including jazz, opera, percussion and classical piano.
The Shepparton part of the program will be presented from 9 February to 12 February and offers outstanding Australian and overseas musicians and highlights a range of music styles.
Manager of Performing Arts Rob Robson says that the Greater Shepparton City Council is presenting the local concerts as part of its Riverlinks program.
“We have deliberately kept ticket prices very low to encourage people to attend as many of the concerts as possible,” says Mr Robson.
Shepparton highlights will include a very funny production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘HMS PINAFORE’, a concert featuring Beethoven’s piano concertos played on the Shepparton Steinway by internationally renowned pianist Anthony Halliday, soprano Louisa
Hunter-Bradley and organist David Macfarlane in a concert at Wesley Church, an evening of ‘Tango Fever’ featuring international accordion player Mirko Satto and Tango dancers Adrienne and Andrew Gill and finally, a delightful Sunday afternoon concert with Italian classical guitarist Massimo Scattolin.
The festival is the inspired initiative of brothers Sergio and Stefano de Pieri.
As a regular visitor to Australia over many years, Sergio imagined an event along the rivers dedicated to this unique region. Stefano has for some time been a prominent ambassador for the Murray River system through his passion for fine food and wine, his advocacy for debate over environmental issues and his patronage of all things cultural.
The concern of these two driven achievers for one of Australia’s greatest water catchments, and their complementary interests in food and music, has inspired the creation of this great event, which has the potential to grow and become one of Australia’s great festivals.
The festival is supported by sponsors Tourism Victoria, The Murray Campaign Committee, Tasco Inland, Hertz, Mildura Grand Hotel, Mildura Brewery and Mildura Arts Centre, Telstra Country Wide, Stefano de Pieri and Regional Express and is supported in Shepparton by the Greater Shepparton City Council through its Riverlinks program.
Following are the details of the MRIMF events being staged in Shepparton.
All booking inquiries can be directed to Riverlinks Box Office on 03 5832 9511.
HMS PINAFORE (THE FINAL SAIL) BY PROMAC PRODUCTIONS
Thursday 9 February 2006 2.00pm EASTBANK
Starring the hilarious Brian Hannan and a cast of just five this is a rollicking and very funny rendition of this G&S favourite. They “did” Mikado and “Pirates” and after this (and “Opera in the Orchards” for the SheppARTon Festival) they aren’t doing it anymore! Don’t miss “the final sail!
BEETHOVEN’S PIANO SONATAS PLAYED BY ANTHONY HALLIDAY
Friday 10 February 2006 8.00pm EASTBANK
Critically acclaimed pianist, Anthony Halliday, has given recitals throughout Australia and in Europe. In this recital he focuses exclusively on Beethoven’s Sonatas.
LOUISA HUNTER-BRADLEY, SOPRANO, DAVID MACFARLANE, ORGAN
Saturday 11 February 2006 4.00pm WESLEY CHURCH
Louisa Hunter-Bradley has extensive performance experience with Australian performance groups including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and at notable festivals in Australia and Europe. David Macfarlane has performed throughout Australia, as soloist and continuo player on organ and harpsichord. He will play the wonderful Wesley organ in this concert.
MIRKO SATTO, ACCORDION, ADRIENNE AND ANDREW GILL, TANGO DANCERS
Saturday 11 February 2006 8.00pm EASTBANK
Mirko Satto studied accordion at the Steffani Conservatorium of Castelfranco, Veneto in Italy. He has performed as a soloist, in duo and with chamber and orchestral groups throughout Italy and Europe. Adrienne and Andrew Gill, professional Argentine tango teachers and performers, are recognized internationally for the artistry and romance of their tango.
(Presented in a cabaret setting, food and wine available to purchase from Eastbankfood)
MASSIMO SCATTOLIN, GUITAR
Sunday 12 February 2006 3.00pm EASTBANK
Massimo Scattolin began his concert career as a soloist and later took up chamber music. He has performed original compositions by Violet Archer and Astor Piazzolla and has developed a reputation in Europe and the United States as a brilliant executor of his art.
Furphy – the Water Cart and the Word
20 October 2005
Andrew Furphy will speak on his book Furphy: The Water Cart and the Word at the third lecture in the ‘Let’s Talk Art’ lecture series.
For many years the Furphy water cart has come to symbolise a rural past of simple moral values and individual enterprise. In particular, the idiosyncratic inscriptions on the cast ends have become an object of ever increasing interest.
Mr Furphy will discuss in detail the history and development of the water cart, its uses and some of the more unusual stories that have come to light in his research. In particular his talk will address the role the water cart played in the emergence of ‘Furphy’ as a celebrated part of Australian vernacular.
The lecture coincides with an exhibition about the Furphy water cart which includes an original restored water cart and a near complete set of cart ends mapping their various vernacular changes through 90 years of production. This exhibition continues until 4 December.
The lecture will be held at the Shepparton Art Gallery from 6.30 – 7.30pm on Tuesday 25 October. Entry is by gold coin donation.
Yapakna: The Koorie Family
15 September 2005
“Our families are our support network. Our families are the centre of our world. Without the support of our families we would never have survived the past and could not survive the present”.
“Yakapna: The Koorie Family”, a photographic essay from the Koorie Heritage Trust collection, will be exhibited at the Shepparton Art Gallery from 22 September to 30 October 2005.
The essay was first published in The Australian (‘Images and Essays’) and was developed in collaboration with researcher Tracey Johnson and the Koorie Heritage Trust.
Two hundred years of oppression by the dominant culture has highlighted and strengthened some unique features in Koorie families. It has also caused major disruptions to the fundamental family structure. Koorie families and communities are now made up of a mixture of people who identify strongly with the lands of their ancestors. Most importantly, the strength of family connections has remained.
Through these images and stories, this exhibition is an opportunity for the viewer to get an insight into Koorie family life, traditions and culture and relate to it through their own family experiences.
The Koorie Heritage Trust aims to ‘bridge the cultural gap’ within communities.
Koorie Heritage Trust, 295 King Street, Melbourne. Tel: (03) 8622 2600
The Shepparton Art Gallery is supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the Community Support Fund, and through the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments.
Transitions: 3500 – 4106
15 September 2005
A new exhibition titled Transitions: 3500 – 4106 is opening at the Shepparton Art Gallery on 22 September.
The exhibition depicts the journey that artist Giuseppe Filardo has taken over the last five years, beginning in 2000 when Giuseppe left Melbourne and relocated to north west country Victoria (Mildura). It then progresses to where he currently lives in Rocklea, Brisbane.
Mildura was a very inspiring and influential place for Giuseppe – it gave birth to many of his paintings, sculptures, installations and collaborations. These works have inspired and affected his new work, Transitions: 3500 – 4106, where the memories of them are resurrected and depicted in a new way.
The work is about leaving the country town and relocating to Rocklea in South Brisbane. It’s about the experiences once had in the Mildura region that he misses very much, like the old friends and acquaintances, the river, landscape, activities, work, isolation and daily routines. Mildura is a place true to his heart that he refers to as a mini suburbia.
For this work Giuseppe has used a continuous line of fencing wire. This wire is completely covered with clothing and other relevant items that are associated with his journey. The final continual piece is expected to be over fifty meters in length. The whole piece is contained within a suitcase. This suitcase will be placed onto a white plinth from which the work will flow out of the case and onto the floor. It will then climb the walls while starting to form various shapes and forms that have been taken from past exhibitions. The works travel around the room until reaching the suitcase again, ready for the next journey.
The exhibition continues until 30 October 2005.
The Shepparton Art Gallery is supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the Community Support Fund, and through the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments.
Decoding the Art of the Da Vinci Code
16 August 2005
Shepparton Art Gallery is delighted to offer the second lecture in the ‘Let’s Talk Art’ series on Wednesday 31st August.
Enormous public curiosity has been created around the art works featured in Dan Brown’s bestselling novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’. Dr Challis has spent over 10 years extensively researching Renaissance art in some of the greatest libraries and art galleries throughout Europe and America, including The Vatican.
Her interest in art history was fostered at an early age by her grandfather, Australia’s pre-eminent art historian Professor Emeritus Bernard Smith. Their shared passion for art and ideas still gives them many points of discussion and argument, including the now infamous Da Vinci code.
Dr Challis promises to take you on an adventure revealing facts about famous works of art, some not even featured in Dan Brown’s bestseller. Through analysis of the masterpieces and talking about the people in and behind their creation, Dr Challis will draw out some of the more puzzling questions left unanswered by Dan Brown. The lecture offers the opportunity for the audience to interact and ask questions about the art.
Dr Challis’ lecture begins at 7pm at the Eastbank Centre, Welsford St Shepparton. The cost is $15 with no concessions applying. Members of the Friends of the Gallery are invited to meet Dr Challis after the lecture.
EASTBANKFOOD will be open from 6.00pm, offering a delicious meal and a glass of wine before the lecture for an additional $15, for pre-booked meals only. Make your reservations for this special deal when reserving your place for the lecture. All bookings are to be made through Riverlinks Box Office on 5832 9511.
A Painted Woman: Works from the Howard Hinton Collection
15 August 2005
A Painted Woman: Works from the Howard Hinton Collection, a New England Regional Art Museum traveling exhibition, will soon be on display at the Shepparton Art Gallery.
The exhibition will show from 20th August until 18th September, 2005.
Drawn from the Howard Hinton Collection housed at the New England Regional Art Museum, this series of 59 works present ‘woman’ from the perspective of both male and female artists.
This exhibition shows ‘woman’ in all types of guises, portraits and contexts – as Madonna, whore, mother, grandmother, dancer, lover, singer, home-maker, temptress, musician, goddess and poser.
The women are the sole figures in the portraits. They sometimes meet the gaze of the viewer, other times they are depicted in the midst of a task, a conversation or a leisurely pursuit.
Artists include Tom Roberts, Rupert Bunny, Fred Leist, Arthur Murch, Mary Edwards, Harold Abbott, George Bell, Dorothea Johnston, Norman Lindsay and AH Hanke.
Included in the exhibition is Rupert Bunny’s work A Sunny Day (1922), pictured left. Rupert Bunny spent several years in Germany and Switzerland, gaining a cosmopolitan education and introduction to the European way of life. Despite his parents’ objections, he followed his passion for painting and is now remembered as one of Australia’s finest artists.
Also included in the exhibition are works by Tom Roberts. Roberts was one of the first Australian painters to travel to Europe to perfect his craft. He devoted himself to the expression of the Australian scene, camping in the bush near Melbourne to capture the landscape and figures in the landscape. His works in this exhibition include Rose of Persia (1900), The Paris Hat (1892) and The Pink Dress (1888).
This exhibition evokes reactions of surprise, familiarity and enjoyment from viewers. The women, whatever their social upbringing and circumstances, give audiences a flavour of female taste, attitudes and imagery of this particular period in Australian history.
Admission to the Shepparton Art Gallery is free and it is open seven days a week from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. The gallery is located in the Eastbank Centre, 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton, phone (03) 5832 9861.
“Bring Back Larry” Colouring Competition Winners
9 August 2005
The Greater Shepparton community is fighting back after a cowardly act of vandalism destroyed “Larry”. The sculpture, by Pamela Irving, took pride of place outside the Shepparton Art Gallery before being destroyed by fire in May this year.
The “Bring Back Larry Colouring Competition” was organised by the Shepparton Art Gallery to publicise the call for public donations to help rebuild Larry.
The campaign has proven a huge success, with over $7,000 raised in the public appeal and over 440 entries received for the colouring competition.
The winner of the colouring competition is 7 year old Elisa Rigoni from St Brendan’s Primary School. Elisa will be presented with her prize, a “Larry” puppy valued at $250, by artist Pamela Irving at 10.00 am on Friday 12th August at the Art Gallery.
The standard of entries for the competition was so high that the Art Gallery has decided to award a number of runner-up prizes.
Recipients of a $60 Riverlinks voucher are:
* William Keating, 12 years old, from Notre Dame College
* Emily Duncan, 12 years old, from Shepparton High School
Recipients of a complimentary place in an Art Gallery school holiday workshop are:
* Melody Goldsmith, 8 years old, from Bourchier St Primary School
* James Rigoni, 10 years old, from St Brendan’s Primary School
* Dylan Moor, 11 years old, from Mooroopna Primary School
* Shae Darveniza, 7 years old
All entries are on display in the Eastbank Centre foyer until the end of August.
Greater Shepparton to Showcase Free Concerts
3 August 2005
Greater Shepparton City Council and Orchestra Victoria will present two free concerts in Shepparton.
Conducted by Maestro Andrea Licata, the concerts will be held on Tuesday 9th August at 7.30 pm and Wednesday 10th August at 11 am at the Eastbank Centre, Welsford Street.
Each concert will feature the music of Mozart, Rossini and Smetana, Bizet’s much loved Carmen Suite No. 2 and Leopold Mozart’s Concerto for Alto Trombone.
Families, schools and community groups are encouraged to attend. While tickets are free, bookings are essential and can be made by contacting the Eastbank Centre on 5832 9511.
If I Should Die Before I Wake Forum
31 July 2005
A special forum to encourage discussion and debate on the issues raised in the play If I Should Die Before I Wake will follow the matinee performance on Wednesday 3rd August at the Eastbank Centre.
The forum, led by the audience, will discuss issues raised in the play and draw on life experiences from families dealing with high needs individuals, challenges for siblings in families with children with a disability, increasing age and frailty of the carer with an ageing adult child.
Panel members will include:
- Margaret – Ageing carer of a person with a disability
- Greg – A person with a disability and Board member of Regional Information and Advocacy Council
- Gordon Ross – Goulburn Valley Family Care
- Donna Richards – Moira Healthcare Alliance
- Anne Phelan, Tracey Harvey and Margot Knight – Actors from the play
“It is our intention to videotape the forum to share with politicians, government organisations and other influential parties. We believe that this forum will be a unique way to raise particular issues for our local area and may become a powerful tool to use in lobbying for increased services and support for our communities,” said Rob Robson, Facilitator of the forum.
All ticket holders of If I Should Die Before I Wake are invited to the forum which will take place after the matinee show. Evening ticket holders from the previous night’s performance are also welcome.
Please contact Alicia Keogh on 5832 9701 for media opportunities and interviews with the panel members.
Interview opportunity: Anne Phelan is available for interview on request.
Let’s Talk Art – Lecture and Book Launch
21 July 2005
Shepparton Art Gallery is delighted to host the launch of a new book by Australian ceramic artist Victor Greenaway.
Greenaway is one of the most respected figures in the ceramic art world. Over the past four decades he has been the recipient of many awards and scholarships and has held over 60 one-man shows. He has collaborated and participated in numerous group shows with local and international artists.
As a young artist Greenaway took inspiration from the folk art traditions of England and Japan while developing and refining the wheel, throwing form into what is now widely recognised as a particularly Australian idiom.
His new book, Victor Greenaway: CERAMICS 1965-2005, is a comprehensive selection of work revealing the journey of an artist in pursuit of strength and diversity, refining the purity of form and space.
Introduced by Tim Jacobs, the book features 110 colour plates, biographical notes and a foreword by Janet Mansfield, displaying the true warmth of this unique Australian ceramic artist.
Victor Greenaway will launch his book and speak about his work as part of the ‘Let’s Talk Art’ Lecture Series at the Shepparton Art Gallery, Eastbank Centre in Welsford St, Shepparton on Monday 25th July commencing at 6.30 pm.
The cost is $7 for the General Public and $5 for Friends of the Shepparton Art Gallery. Bookings are essential. Please contact Riverlinks Box Office on 5832 9511 to register by 21st July.