Nell: Rock ‘n’ Roll and Buddhism at SAM

23 September 2016

In 1976, Aussie rockers AC/DC toured twice to Shepparton. Now, 40 years later the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) will salute this historic moment with a major survey show by the devout Buddhist rock ‘n’ roll inspired artist, Nell.

From 8 October to 27 November 2016, SAM presents the first major survey exhibition of artwork by the artist know as Nell. Nell is a multi-disciplinary show that explores some of Nell’s key themes and brings together significant bodies of work by the artist that showcase her diverse range of interests and media.

SAM Director, Rebecca Coates said:

“Over the years, apart from Nell’s love of AC/DC, perhaps the most constant thing about Nell’s practice is the sheer variety in her range of materials. Painting, installation, music and video are all co-opted to examine the big questions: life, happiness, spirituality and structured forms of religion, silence and noise, and the darker sides of negativity, sadness or death. While the language may be simple, her understanding of its philosophical underpinnings and art historical context is not.”

Nell’s work consistently adopts different media and forms. The exhibition spans various genres that include painting, installation, sculpture, video and ceramics. It features Nell’s major installation The Wake, 2014 – 2015 first shown at Art Gallery South Australia as part of Adelaide Biennale. It will also include a commissioned work developed around the idea of the wunderkammer or ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ from objects drawn from the SAM Collection. This will also include works by leading contemporary artists who have played an inspirational role in Nell’s own creative process.

SAM’s exhibition fuses rock ‘n’ roll and Buddhist traditions with a series of works that explore binary opposites that we easily recognise in our everyday lives; black/white, night/day, male/female, quiet/loud, contained/uncontained. These opposites are used to explore the idea that nothing is absolute.

SAM will also present a series of public programs such as All Ages Rock ‘n’ roll Yoga; a yoga session in the park choreographed to a set list of AC/DC hits; and The Art of Zen; an artist led meditation session inside the Nell exhibition space. Further information can be found on SAM’s website www.sheppartonartmuseum.com.au.

Important dates

Exhibition Dates	Saturday 8 October to Sunday 27 November, SAM
Media Preview	Friday 7 October, 10.30am to 11.30pm, SAM
Artist Talk – with Nell	Saturday 8 October 3 to 4pm, SAM
Artist lead meditation “The Art of Zen”	Saturday 8 October 2 to 3pm, SAM
All Ages Rock ‘n’ Roll yoga	Sunday 23 October 11am to12noon, Queens Gardens Shepparton

IMAGE: Nell, QUIET/LOUD, 2015, single‐channel digital video, 16:9, colour. Videography: Tina Havelock Stevens Sound: Ingrid Rowell. Commissioned by Campbelltown Arts Centre for Transmission curated by Carrie Miller. Courtesy of the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney © the artist.

School Holidays at SAM

31 August 2016

September

Middens and Memories
Gain insight into the local traditions of the Yorta Yorta people. Children will make objects that reference the sourcing of food, building knowledge that deepens understanding and value of culturally significant sites.
Date: Wednesday 21 September
Audience:
10.30am to 12.30pm for 5 – 9 years BOOK: here
1.30 to 3.30pm for 10 – 14 years BOOK: here
Venue: SAM workshop room
Cost: $20 (Friends $18)
Artists: Jack Anselmi and Auntie Cynthia Hardie

Family Walking Tour
Join SAM and Gallery Kaiela staff for a guided tour of exhibitions at both venues and discuss the artwork over morning tea.
Date: Thursday 22 September
Time: 10 to 12noon
Audience: Families
Venue: SAM and Gallery Kaiela
Cost: Free
Bookings: Online

Painting Stories: Aboriginal Signs and Symbols
Learn to read a painting through Aboriginal signs and symbols used to reference Country, cultural protocols and traditional visual language. Create your own story using paint and mixed media.
Date: Friday 23 September
Time: 10.30am to 12.30pm
Audience: 9 to 13 years
Venue: SAM workshop room
Cost: $15 (Friends $13)
Tutor: Tammy-Lee Atkinson
Bookings: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aboriginal-signs-and-symbols-sam-school-holiday-workshop-9-13yrs-tickets-26165978145

Drawing Wall #24 by Darren Wardle

24 August 2016

Darren Wardle is the 24th artist to feature on the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) Drawing Wall this week (22 – 26 August 2016).

Darren Wardle is known for his hyper-real paintings of abandoned buildings and urban structures that appear to be drawn from a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi dystopia. Painted in a synthetic day-glo palette, they hint at the failures of modernism and its associated belief in a rational and orderly world.

Darren Wardle’s Billboard Panorama, on SAM’s Drawing Wall in the Eastbank Centre Foyer, is an instantly recognisable image for any suburban dweller in the Western world. This archetypal scene depicts disused advertising billboards silhouetted against a highly saturated sky. While uninhabited, there is evidence of life in the form of graffiti scrawl that defaces the structures: an attempt at visibility or to reclaim territory within the constant barrage of advertising. A surveillance camera records and monitors from overhead.

SAM Senior Curator Anna Briers said:

‘Wardle’s image could portray a specific place, or nowhere in particular. An urban view that we might experience in transit while on a road trip: somewhere between our present location and our destination. As a representation of the way in which commodity culture informs architecture and space, the image recalls the homogeneity and sameness of cities globally. The work has an alluring cinematic quality that evokes the post-war gasoline stations and roadside architecture that seminal West-coast American Pop artist Edward Ruscha captured in the ’60s.’

Darren Wardle holds a Masters by Research from the Victorian College of the Arts, 2014. He has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards and his works are held in various Australian collections including the National Gallery of Victoria, Heidi Museum of Modern Art, and RMIT University Collection, amongst others. He has held over 20 solo shows and exhibited widely in the USA, Asia, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Wardle is represented by Fehily Contemporary, Melbourne and Stephan Stoyanov Gallery in New York City.

Darren will be installing his work from until Friday 26 August. This is a great opportunity for the community to come by and see him at work and ask questions about his art and processes.

Image Credit: Darren Wardle in his studio.

2016 Indigenous Ceramic Art Award (ICAA) winner announced.

22 August 2016

Congratulations to Gallery Kaiela Artists, Jack Anselmi and Cynthia Hardie, Yorta Yorta (VIC), the 2016 ICAA recipients.

The Shepparton Art Museum is pleased to announce that the 2016 Indigenous Ceramic Art Award has been awarded to Gallery Kaiela Artists, Jack Anselmi and Cynthia Hardie, Yorta Yorta (VIC).

The winner of the $20,000 acquisitive prize was announced by Mr Rupert Myer AO during the exhibition official opening event, Saturday 20 August 2016.

The judges tasked to select the winner from the 2016 ICAA finalist were Tom Mosby, CEO, Koorie Heritage Trust Inc; Kimberley Moulton, Senior Curator South Eastern Australian Collections, Melbourne Museum; and Dr Rebecca Coates, Director, Shepparton Art Museum.

The judges were looking for a work that was innovative, challenging, exciting and would intrigue while exploring and extending the medium of ceramics.

Judge’s comments:

“ The 2016 ICAA showcased an outstanding calibre of entrants reflecting the sophistication of Indigenous ceramic art practice around the nation. This made judging difficult, requiring a very considered approach.

While the award is a ceramic award, it is also an Indigenous ceramic award. This meant that works needed to extend the ceramic medium, and also reflect the artist’s perspective as an Indigenous person and their cultural expression. The ceramic medium needed to enhance the telling of this story. Each of the works in this year’s award tells a unique story that is very personal to each of the artists, arts collectives and the community they come from, generously sharing aspects of their lives, identity, country and creation stories.

The winning work was selected for its ambition, extension of the artist’s practice, the way it extends the medium of ceramic and importantly for the cultural story it presents. Yorta Yorta artists Jack Anselmi and Cynthia Hardie’s immersive installation, Midden, reveals the different ways that ceramics can be manipulated and extended. The layering of history and content is exposed through a range of ceramic forms: buff raku and ceramic grog, delicate and intricate porcelain bones and shells, and rough hand-shaped balls made from clay collected from the Kaiela (Goulburn) River banks. The more you look and reflect on this work, the more it reveals. It is a statement and testament of knowledge and connection to country that weaves the past into the present, gathering communities, families and culture, and leaving a legacy for the future.”

The ICAA is an acquisitive Award that celebrates and supports the rich and diverse use of the ceramic medium by Indigenous artists and acknowledges the special industry of ceramic art. Each shortlisted artist has presented a substantial body of new work for display. To assist the artists to create their dynamic body of work, the seven shortlisted applicants received a development fee to help support the production.

The 2016 ICAA shortlisted artists were:

Janet Fieldhouse, Torres Strait (QLD)
Deanne Gilson, Wadawurrung/ Wathaurung (VIC)
Sean Miller, Kamilaroi (NSW)
Raymond Young, Gunnai / Yorta Yorta/ Gunditjmara (VIC)
Alison Murray, Girramay (QLD)
Gallery Kaiela Artists, Yorta Yorta (VIC)

Jack Anselmi
Cynthia Hardie
Ernabella Potters, Pukatja Community – Pitjantjatjara Language (SA)
Alison Milyika Carroll
Elizabeth Dunn
Rupert Jack
Lynette Lewis
Rachael Mipantjiti Lionel
Janelle Muwitja Nakamarra Thompson
Fiona Wells
Tjimpuna Williams

The ICAA is developed in partnership with the Sir Andrew and Lady Fairley Foundation, Margaret Lawrence Bequest and Mr Allan Myers AC QC and is generously supported by Fairer Futures Fund / Australian Communities Foundation.

Exhibition Dates:

Exhibition dates

Sunday 6 August to Sunday 25 September

For further information, print quality images of Award winners, or to arrange interviews with SAM staff, or ICAA artists please contact SAM Marketing Coordinator Gabriella Calandro on phone (03) 5832 9522 or email gabriella.calandro@shepparton.vic.gov.au.

IMAGE: Jack Anselmi and Cynthia Hardi (Gallery Kaiela), Midden, 2016, buff raku, porcelain, ceramic grog, Goulburn river (Kaiela) terracotta, Red River Gum leaves and grasses, campfire charcoal, bark, 250 x 150 x 65cm approx. irreg. courtesy and © the artists. Photo: Christian Capurro.

2016 Indigenous Ceramic Art Award (ICAA) Cultural Events

5 August 2016

Join SAM for a series of cultural events over August and September

To support 2016 Indigenous Ceramic Art Award (ICAA) exhibition SAM is running a series of cultural events over August and September. These events allow the community to create a deeper understanding of the exhibition and its themes while also having the opportunity to learn new creative skills and in many cases meet and work with finalist artists. Many programs have limited places so be sure to book as soon as possible to secure a spot. For more information on the cultural series or to book your spot today visit the SAM website or call SAM directly.

Adult Programs

ICAA Panel Discussion Are Art Prizes and Awards the way to go? What model best supports contemporary Indigenous art and artists?
Date: Saturday 20 August
Time: 2 to 3.30pm
Venue: Eastbank, function room 2
Panel: Kimberley Moulton and Tiriki Onus. Chair – Rebecca Coates.
Cost: Free
Bookings: Click here

Ceramics Masterclass with ICAA finalist Janet Fieldhouse
Date: Sunday 21 August
Time: 10am to 12noon
Venue: SAM workshop room
Cost: $20 (Friends $18)
Bookings: Click here

Ceramics Masterclass with ICAA finalists Auntie Cynthia Hardie and Jack Anselmi
Date: Sunday 21 August
Time: 1.30 to 3.30pm
Venue: SAM workshop room
Cost: $20 (Friends $18)
Bookings: Click here

Education: Life on the River Clay building workshop
Drawing on the concept of a midden, and local knowledge about life on the Goulburn River pre-settlement, these teachers will learn a number of hand-building techniques and how to make a pressed mould using found objects and clay.
Date: Saturday 3 September
Time: 10.00 to 11.30am Mooroopna and 12.15pm to 4pm SAM
Audience: All teachers
Venue: Mooroopna river bank and SAM
Cost: $60 (incl. lunch)
Tutors: Jack Anselmi and Aunty Cynthia Hardie
Bookings: Click here to book

Kids and Family Programs

Middens and Memories
Children will gain insight into the local traditions of the Yorta Yorta people through this clay workshop.
Date: Wednesday 21 September
Audience: 10.30am to 12.30pm for 5 – 9 years – Bookings: Click here
1.30 to 3.30pm for 10 – 14 years – Bookngs: Click here
Venue: SAM workshop room
Cost: $20 (Friends $18)
Artists: Jack Anselmi and Auntie Cynthia Hardie

Family Walking Tour
Join SAM and Gallery Kaiela staff for a guided tour of exhibitions at both venues and discuss the artwork over morning tea.
Date: Thursday 22 September
Time: 10 to 12noon
Audience: Families
Venue: SAM and Gallery Kaiela
Cost: Free
Bookings: Click here

Painting Stories: Aboriginal Signs and Symbols
Through this painting workshop children will learn the different meanings of signs and symbol in Aboriginal paintings.
Date: Friday 23 September
Time: 10.30am to 12.30pm
Audience: 9 to 13 years
Venue: SAM workshop room
Cost: $15 (Friends $13)
Tutor: Tammy-Lee Atkinson
Bookings: Click here

2016 Indigenous Ceramic Art Award (ICAA) to open at SAM.

2 August 2016

2016 ICAA to open on Saturday 6 August.

In August Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) welcomes seven indigenous artists / arts collectives shortlisted for the 2016 Indigenous Ceramic Art Award (ICAA). This acquisitive Award celebrates and supports the rich and diverse use of the ceramic medium by Indigenous artists and acknowledges the special industry of ceramic art. Each shortlisted artist will present a substantial body of new work for display. The winner of the $20,000 acquisitive prize will be announced by Mr Rupert Myer AO during the exhibition official opening event, Saturday 20 August 2016.

The 2016 shortlisted artists are:

Janet Fieldhouse, Torres Strait (QLD)
Deanne Gilson, Wadawurrung/ Wathaurung (VIC)
Sean Miller, Kamilaroi (NSW)
Raymond Young, Gunnai / Yorta Yorta/ Gunditjmara (VIC)
Alison Murray, Girramay (QLD)

Gallery Kaiela Artists, Yorta Yorta (VIC)

Jack Anselmi
Cynthia Hardie

Ernabella Potters, Pukatja Community – Pitjantjatjara Language (SA)

Alison Milyika Carroll
Elizabeth Dunn
Rupert Jack
Lynette Lewis
Rachael Mipantjiti Lionel
Janelle Muwitja Nakamarra Thompson
Fiona Wells

Project Curator, Joanna Bosse says:

“Clay is a medium that sets its own rules and defines its own working practise. The great contribution of the ICAA therefore is to create a platform for Indigenous artists who accept these rules of engagement and test, refine, or push them in experimental directions. The Award creates the opportunity for viewers to focus on the particularities of the medium – the compensation to scale, its fragility, its transformational processes – which opens our eyes to the truly spectacular achievements made by artists in the field.”

Judging the finalist in the 2016 ICAA are: Tom Mosby, CEO, Koorie Heritage Trust Inc; Kimberley Moulton, Senior Curator South Eastern Australian Collections, Melbourne Museum; and Dr Rebecca Coates, Director, Shepparton Art Museum.

During the official opening weekend, 20 and 21 August, SAM will be hosting a number of cultural events:

Panel Discussion held prior to the exhibition opening and Award announcement
Date: Saturday 20 August
Time: 2 to 3.30pm
Discussion topic: Are Art Prizes and Awards the way to go? What model best supports contemporary Indigenous art and artists?
Panellists: Kimberly Moulton and Tiriki Onus to be chaired by Dr Rebecca Coates
Cost: Free
Bookings: Online here.

Ceramics Masterclasses with 2016 ICAA Finalists (1)
Date: Sunday 21 August
Time: 10am to 12noon
Tutor: Janet Fieldhouse
Cost: $20
Bookings: Online here.

Ceramics Masterclasses with 2016 ICAA Finalists (2 )
Date: Sunday 21 August
Time: 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Tutor: Auntie Cynthia Hardie and Jack Anselmi
Cost: $20
Bookings: Online here.

In addition throughout the month of September SAM will be running a series of events, programs and education workshops which will support the community to engage and build knowledge around local Aboriginal culture and art making processes. See SAM website for further details and bookings here.

The 2016 ICAA is organised by Project Curator Joanna Bosse and Indigenous Curatorial Assistant Belinda Briggs.

The ICAA is developed in partnership with the Sir Andrew and Lady Fairley Foundation, Margaret Lawrence Bequest and Mr Allan Myers AO QC and is generously supported by Fairer Futures Fund / Australian Communities Foundation.

Important Dates:

Media Preview	Thursday 4 August, 10.30 to 11.30am
Exhibition opens to the public	Saturday 6 August
Exhibition official opening and award announcement	Saturday 20 August, 4 to 6pm
Cultural program	Commencing 6 August to 25 September
ICAA Panel Discussion	Saturday 20 August, 2 to 3.30pm
Ceramic Masterclasses	Sunday 21 August 10am to 12noon and 1.30 to 3.30pm
Exhibition dates	Sunday 6 August to Sunday 25 September

Bridget Bodenham at SAM

25 July 2016

This week will see the installation of new work in Shepparton Art Museum’s Showcase cabinet by popular ceramic artist, Bridget Bodenham.

Bridget Bodenham lives and works in her studio in the idyllic bushland setting of Hepburn Springs, Australia. She has exhibited extensively both within Australia and overseas, and was a finalist in the Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Award and an Honourable Mention in the Mino International Ceramic Award, Japan. Bridget has also tutored in ceramic art at Ballarat University.

Bridget works full-time making ceramic serving ware, tableware, utensils and jewellery as well as planter pots and flower vases.

Anna Briers, SAM senior curator said:

‘The team at SAM are super excited about Bridget’s inclusion in the forthcoming Showcase. Bridget has developed a trade mark visual language for which she is renowned in design circles. Her ceramic homewares are graphic and bold, with striking contrasts of textured stoneware clay combined with seductive gold detailing and applied patterns in black, white and navy. These works will be snapped up fast.’

Bridget takes great care in creating each piece of work by hand and then fires them up to three times in her large gas kiln. Each firing is totally unique, resulting in one off pieces.

Curated in partnership with Bree Claffey of Melbourne-based gallery and retailer Mr Kitly, SAM’s Showcase provides a unique opportunity for collectors and craft lovers to acquire work as all pieces are available for purchase.

Showcase #11: Bridget Bodenham will be on display until Sunday 30 October with all works for sale through the SAM Shop.

New acquisition now on show at SAM

24 July 2016

SAM is delighted to announce that the newly acquired Tent Hill Gully, by Albert Namatjira is now on show. This recent donation from Carrillo Gantner AO, SAM Foundation board member and Chairman of the Sidney Myer Fund Foundation is the first in a line of new acquisitions that will be on display throughout the duration of 80/80: Eighty Years of SAM, The Collection exhibition on the New Acquisitions wall.

2016 marks 80 years since the early beginnings of the SAM collection. Over the years the collection has grown to include many notable works, with the ceramics collection one of the most significant in Australia. The exhibition 80/80: Eighty Years of SAM, The Collection, celebrates many jewels in the SAM collection acquired over the 80 years. A series of new acquisitions will be showcased with Albert Namatjira’s lyric landscape the first to be presented.

SAM Director, Dr Rebecca Coates says:

“This work has great significance for SAM’s collection. It showcases the landscape of Namatjira’s own country in Central Australia, captured in the vivid blues and fluidly evocative realist watercolour style for which he is renowned. Generous donations and gifts of this kind add to the stories we can tell around the collection and enable us to continue to review and reappraise our own histories.”

Tent Hill Gully, by Albert Namatjira will be on display until September.

Further information about Albert Namatjira and Tent Hill Gully:

Albert Namatjira is best known for his watercolours of the landscapes of northern and central Australia. Tent Hill Gully depicts a scene in the Tent Hill region, Northern Territory. The work is a fine example of Namatjira’s skill with the delicate but challenging watercolour media. Namatjira’s deft application of his ‘signature luminous blue colour’ is subtly apparent in the details of the tree-tops in the background of Tent Hill Gully. This artwork is also an important link to several pieces in the SAM Collection. Of particular note is a watercolour by Walter Ebatarinja, one of Namatjira’s students, as well as the many ceramics by the Hermannsburg Potters, which include a small, lidded terracotta jar by Namatjira’s granddaughter Elaine Namatjira.

Image: Albert Namatjira, Tent Hill Gully c.1940, watercolour on paper, donated by Carrillo Gantner through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gift Program, 2016, is now showing at SAM.

New SAM Architectural Competition

21 July 2016

Greater Shepparton City Council is inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) from suitably qualified and experienced architects who are interested in developing concept designs for the proposed new Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) on a site adjacent to Victoria Park Lake, Shepparton.

Architectural competition unique opportunity for architects

Greater Shepparton Council announces an Architectural Competition for a new Shepparton Art Museum which will provide an opportunity for architects to design a unique public building in a regional area.

The new Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) building will be an outstanding example of exciting, best-practice contemporary museum architecture designed by one of Australia’s leading architects on a remarkable site in regional Victoria.

This is the first stage in a two-stage competition endorsed by the Australian Institute of Architects. Council is looking for a wide range of responses to the EOI and from the responses a seven person jury will select a shortlist of five. Shortlisted teams will be invited to develop a concept design for SAM in stage 2.

Each shortlisted team will be provided with a more detailed brief and will be paid an honorarium of $7,000 to assist with the development of the concept design. The winning entry will receive a prize of $10,000.

The competition will result in a commission to the successful entrant, who will be appointed to work with Greater Shepparton City Council and SAM stakeholders to further develop the design. Funding has been received from the Victorian State Government, Council and the SAM Foundation.

An announcement of $10 million was made by Minister for Regional Development and Nationals Deputy Leader Senator Fiona Nash when she visited Shepparton on 14 June towards the construction of a new SAM if the Coalition was returned to government. Council is awaiting formal confirmation.

The seven member jury is a skills based board, with professional members drawn from the arts, architecture/design, academia, Indigenous architecture and related industries.

Greater Shepparton City Council Director Community and Project Board Chair, Kaye Thomson, said the successful proponent will bring an inventive and thoughtful design strategy and the capacity to develop and deliver an outstanding project.

“We are very excited to have reached the stage of seeking design concepts. A new SAM has been in the pipeline for many years and the design competition is a project that will provide interesting challenges and unique opportunities for the successful architect,” said Ms Thomson.

SAM Director, Dr Rebecca Coates said SAM’s curatorial program engages with its local context, while exploring contemporary themes that are global in their scope and ambitions.

“The museum is noted for its ceramics collections, which is one of the most important in regional Australia. It also has significant collections of Indigenous art from around Australia, signature historic paintings by leading Australian artists, and a growing collection by leading contemporary artists,” said Dr Coates.

“We want the SAM building to foster a strong sense of engagement, ownership and pride for visitors and local audiences alike. This is an opportunity to celebrate and enhance the rich and diverse Shepparton community, which includes the largest Aboriginal community in Victoria outside Melbourne and people from many parts of the world,” said Dr Coates.

The design competition opens on Friday 29 July and closes at 4pm on 31 August. For information on the design competition visit www.greatershepparton.com.au

Please submit all tenders through the TenderSearch website https://www.tendersearch.com.au/greatershepparton/

SAM Announces 2016 Local Spotlight Artist Tarli Bird

18 July 2016

SAM Local Spotlight 10 December 2016 to 15 January 2017

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is pleased to announce that it will be profiling the work of Tarli Bird as part of SAM Local Spotlight from 10 December 2016 to 15 January 2017.

Tarli will create an immersive sound-based experience for the viewer, based on the heart rate of local runners through the musical device of the metronome.

Tarli commented:

‘I’m excited about exhibiting at SAM with a project that combines my passions in life: sport and art. As an elite distance runner I’m always fascinated when people regard sport and art as being polar opposites. I find athletes and artists contain very similar attributes that I’m looking forward to highlighting in my exhibition.

I hope to break down the barrier between the sports field and art gallery through my exhibition and draw new viewers into the gallery. My exhibition will have the heart rates of local runners after a running race transferred onto individual music metronomes which will communicate their internal body clocks externally to be watched. The metronomes will continue to perform for the duration of the exhibition, providing a visual and audio representation of how the bodies’ experienced the race. The viewers can determine for themselves which individual has pushed their body to the furthest limit.’

Tarli will record the heart rates of Shepparton Park Run participants on Saturday 3 December at the Victoria Park Lake, Wyndham Street, Shepparton after they complete the 5km run.

Tarli is Echuca-based, and an art teacher at Echuca College.

Tarli’s SAM Local Spotlight exhibition is an expansion of a project she undertook as part of the 2010 Next Wave Festival.

Website: www.tarlibird.com

Instagram: @tarlibird

SAM Local. Spotlight profiles the work of a local artist with a solo exhibition over December to January. This initiative encourages, stimulates and promotes local and regional cultural activities as part of SAM’s annual program. It enables artists to experience working in a professional museum context.

Showcase #10 with Vanessa Lucas

15 July 2016

Showcase #10 Vanessa Lucas Saturday 30 April to Sunday 24 July

SAM has hit a milestone with the 10^th Showcase exhibition now showing in the entry of SAM. Showcase #10 features the work of Melbourne based ceramicist and designer Vanessa Lucas.

Vanessa’s range of slipcast porcelain tableware and wheel thrown works are inspired by organic forms. “To work with clay is to work in close harmony with nature”, says Ms Lucas. “The constantly changing relationship of air and water with the malleable quality of clay determines what can be achieved in the process of making. The clay itself is an ancient piece of earth that has formed over millions of years of weathering.”

Showcase #10 with Vanessa Lucas will run until 24 July and all items featured can be purchased through the SAM shop.

This year Shepparton Art Museum Showcase exhibitions will be curated in partnership with Bree Claffey of Melbourne based gallery and retailer Mr Kitly.

2016 SAM Showcase 2016:

Showcase #10 Vanessa Lucas Saturday 30 April to Sunday 24 July
Showcase #11 Bridget Bodenham Saturday 30 July to Sunday 30 October
Showcase #12 Andrei Davidoff Saturday 5 November to Sunday 29 January, 2017

New SAM Update – June 2016

24 June 2016

What’s news with the SAM project?

Coalition pledges $10m for new SAM

Minister for Regional Development and Nationals Deputy Leader Senator Fiona Nash visited Shepparton to pledge $10million towards the construction of a new SAM if the Coalition is returned to government in July’s federal election.

Mayor Dinny Adem said “the investment would have a significant positive impact on the economy of our region.”

“The new SAM is a game changer for Greater Shepparton. It will position our region as a strong tourism destination, attract more visitors, entice more people to live here and entice investors to the area, and diversify our economy.”

Cr Adem recognised the hard work to date from Council staff and key members of the community including the SAM Foundation. “There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to secure this major project for Shepparton including complex funding applications and lobbying of government.” SAM Director Dr Rebecca Coates said “This is hugely exciting news, and means the dream of a new SAM museum is one big step closer. It’s been a real team effort to get this far and I look forward to continuing to work with key partners and stakeholders, including the Federal Government, the State Government, the SAM Foundation, and of course Greater Shepparton’s own support for and commitment to the project,” said Dr Coates.

Greater Shepparton City Council Director Community Kaye Thomson said it was good news to have commitment from the Coalition. “The announcement today from Minister Nash is very encouraging and provides recognition that a new SAM is an important project for our region now and into the future.”

New Community Member for Project Board

Well-known local arts identity and Shepparton Festival life member John Head has been appointed as a community representative member of the new SAM

Project Board. Mr Head joins the Build Shepparton Art Museum Project Board Committee which oversees the management of the project milestones and communications to councillors and the community. The milestones include the architectural design, construction plans, planning and building permits, funding and governance.

“I believe a new SAM has the potential to put Shepparton on the cultural tourism map as a link between the established and financially proven model of the art museums of Albury and Bendigo,” said Mr Head. “I am very much looking forward to being a part of the Project Board and helping to guide the process of building the new SAM.”

Architectural Design Competition

The Project Board will be advertising the architectural design competition for the new Shepparton Art Museum at the end of July. The two stage competition will be conducted in accordance with the Australian Institute of Architects’ Competition Guidelines and endorsed by the Institute. It will commence with an Expression of Interest asking for a design approach and a vision for the new facility as well as a capability statement.

From the Expression of Interest, a shortlist of architectural firms will be asked to submit a concept design for consideration. The management of the design competition will be overseen by a panel of experts including the formal position of a Competition Advisor.

Details available at www.greatershepprton.com.au from 29 July 2016.

SAM Foundation Receives $1m Donation

A significant philanthropic grant was announced on 6 May fromthe Sir Andrew Fairley Foundation and the Gantner family who have each agreed to commit an amount of $500,000 to the project.

The Chair of the Sir Andrew Fairley Foundation, Andrew Fairley AM said “We are supporting this project because it will create positive and profound change in the cultural ethos of this great city. Sir Andrew Fairley was instrumental in the creation of the original Shepparton Art Gallery, which laid the foundations for the outstanding collection that is housed in the current SAM.”

The donation from the Gantner family comes on top of their already generous commitment to donate a significant collection of Australian indigenous artwork to the new SAM once the

construction is completed. Carrillo Gantner AO, a SAM Foundation Director said “I am delighted at the progress that’s been made on this project. I sense a strong groundswell of passionate support, not just for a new arts facility for the city and the Goulburn Valley, but also for the wider economic, social and cultural impact on the entire region.”

The SAM Foundation has been established to raise funding from private and philanthropic sources. SAM Foundation Chairman, Peter Quinn said “We are truly thrilled to have received this news of a further $1m committed to our vision for a new SAM. To have received the commitment from two such distinguished participants in our community speaks volumes for the importance of the project.”

Information Session

A large audience of local residents attended a public information session on the new SAM on 21 April to hear the latest updates on the project.

The information session was a Q & A session with a welcome by the Mayor, Cr Dinny Adem and a presentation by Greater Shepparton City Council Director Community Kaye Thomson and SAM Director Dr Rebecca Coates.

The Council resolution of May 2015 was widely discussed and attendees were able to ask questions. If you would like to view videos of the event you can find them at youtube.com

Site Location Update

The Planning sub-group of the Project Board are working towards ensuring all documentation for the design process is completed. This includes:

Cultural heritage sub plan
Aborist report
Victoria Park Lake Master Plan
Traffic Management Plan
Feature survey and services report
Flood report
GeoTech soil contamination report

This process will ensure all documentation is in place before the architectural design competition opens.

Governance update

Greater Shepparton City Council endorsed the governance model and a draft constitution for the new Shepparton Art Museum at April’s Council meeting.

Council endorsed a governance model of a new Company Limited by Guarantee. The model was determined after a workshop with councillors, the Project Board and other key stakeholders was held to discuss all the options for governance of the new SAM.

Greater Shepparton City Council CEO Peter Harriott and SAM Foundation Chair Peter Quinn were appointed as the founding members/directors for Shepparton Art Museum Limited. Greater Shepparton City Council Director Community Kaye Thomson said a Company Limited by Guarantee is the only effective way for Council to share the expanded operating risks of a new Shepparton Art Museum. “This governance model allows the company to secure capital and operating funds for the project. The private funds required would be unable to be raised under an alternative

model.” “The skills-based Board will have two nominated representatives from Council and will comprise people with designated skills relevant to a significant cultural institution who are able to assist the Governance Board in its objectives,” said Ms Thomson.

The existing collection will be owned by the Council as will the new building which will be leased to the Art Museum Board for a peppercorn rent. The Art Museum Board may also accept and own works of art, which will enable gifts to the Museum which would otherwise not occur, with private donors often unwilling to give art to a local government entity.

The first meeting of SAM Ltd Board was held in May 2016.

Coalition pledges $10m for new SAM

14 June 2016

Pledge $10 million towards the construction of a new SAM if the Coalition is retuned to government in next month’s federal election.

Minister for Regional Development and Nationals Deputy Leader Senator Fiona Nash visited Shepparton this morning to pledge $10 million towards the construction of a new SAM if the Coalition is retuned to government in next month’s federal election.

Minister Nash travelled to Shepparton to personally make the election pledge. Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor Dinny Adem thanked the Senator for her commitment and said “the investment would have a significant positive impact on the economy of our region.”

“We have already secured $10 million from the State Government and Council has committed $10 million as well for the project. The SAM Foundation has also committed the $4.5 million needed to build the project, and is working very hard to secure philanthropic donations,” said Cr Adem.

A new SAM will lead to more than $58 million dollars in economic activity in and around Shepparton during the two year build resulting in 181 new jobs. Once operational, it will continue to stimulate the local economy with jobs, tourism and events bringing ongoing business to the region.

Cr Adem said “The new SAM is a game changer for Greater Shepparton. It will position our region as a strong tourism destination. It will attract more visitors, entice more people to live here and entice investors to the area, as well as diversifying our economy.”

“Greater Shepparton City Council welcomes the $10 million pledge from the Coalition Government and we look forward to seeing Minister Nash here again with good news in the not too distant future”, said Cr Adem.

Minister Nash said the project will generate local jobs, and is another example of the Coalition Governments clear focus on stimulating growth in regional Victoria.

“As Minister for Regional Development, I aim to help build the types of communities our children and grandchildren either want to stay in or come back to. Art and cultural facilities are a big part of that. The Shepparton Art Museum will be a major drawcard for the community and the Coalition is proud to deliver it.”

SAM Director Dr Rebecca Coates said “This is hugely exciting news, and means the dream of a new SAM museum is one big step closer.

“It’s been a real team effort to get this far and I look forward to continuing to work with key partners and stakeholders, including the Federal Government, the State Government, the SAM Foundation, and of course Greater Shepparton’s own support for and commitment to the project,” said Dr Coates.

“With such a beautiful location, great art, food, and exciting architecture, I know it will become the place that people say ‘let’s meet at SAM’.”

New SAM Project Board community member appointed

31 May 2016

Welcome John Head.

Well-known local arts identity and SheppARTon Festival life member John Head has been appointed as a community representative member of the new SAM Project Board.

Mr Head joins the Build Shepparton Art Museum Project Board Committee which oversees the management of the project milestones and communications to councillors and the community. The milestones include the architectural design, construction plans, planning and building permits, funding and governance.

John Head is well credentialed to be on the Board as a passionate supporter of the arts in Shepparton and a driving force behind the SheppARTon Festival. “I believe the development of the new SAM will be a major game changer in the cultural, artistic and tourism landscape of the Goulburn Valley,” said Mr Head.

“Shepparton is a large multicultural community with one of the largest indigenous communities in rural Victoria. The development of a new SAM will be an important step in displaying and sustaining some of the best attributes of our region including our racial tolerance and social cohesion,” he said.

The current membership consists of 14 members from Council, the SAM Foundation, Regional Development Victoria (RDV), Gallery Kaiela and the Kaiela Institute.

Greater Shepparton City Council Director Community and Project Board Chair Kaye Thomson said she was very pleased with the high calibre of applications received for the position and was keen to welcome John Head to the Board.

“John brings a wealth of experience in and knowledge of the arts in our region and will be an asset to the Board in representing the community and ensuring a different viewpoint is available,” said Ms Thomson. “We look forward to his input over the course of the project.”

Chen Qiulin performs a tofu carving

20 May 2016

And brings the scents of Shepparton to SAM

On Saturday 4 June, Chen Quilin, one of China’s most acclaimed contemporary artists, will perform a tofu carving at Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) and imbue the gallery space with six scents evocative of Shepparton for the exhibition One Hundred Names.

For the carving, a tofu block the size of a large cushion (40x40x7cm) is being created especially for Chen by Richmond’s Tofu Shop International, into which she will carve the name of Ah Wong’, a Chinese immigrant who set up a market garden on the banks of the Goulburn River, and sold vegetable produce to Mooroopna and Shepparton residents. Chinaman Garden Reserve is now on the site of his former vegetable garden. Visitors to the opening will witness Chen quietly carving the tofu, and be met with a potpourri of smells—pears, apples, wood smoke, eucalyptus, garlic and chilli—that she has identified as meaningful to Shepparton.

This performance complements Chen’s ongoing project One Hundred Surnames in Tofu (2004-), which presents the hundred most common Chinese family names carved in tofu. Presented in this career-survey exhibition, Chen uses a combination of photography, video installation, performance and other media to create large-scale immersive works. Her work is deeply concerned with migration, both geographic and internal, examining how displacement and urban development disrupt traditional ancestry, culture and way of life – concerns that deeply connect with Shepparton’s rich migrant history.

Fascinated by the way that our senses trigger memories of place, Chen has created a new work using six evocative smells that connect with Shepparton – apples, pears (90 per cent of Australian pears come from Shepparton), eucalyptus, wood-fire smoke (alluding to controlled burns for native forest and agricultural management, and the lingering trace of wood smoke that wafts over Shepparton in autumn), garlic (introduced by Chinese migrants during the Victorian gold rush) and chilli. Diffusers will be presented as part of an installation, on a stack of packing crates and fruit boxes gathered from local orchard producers. Each gently puffs out the specific scents selected by Chen for this particular context. SAM Director, Dr Rebecca Coates says, “Through her ongoing interest in food and scent, she reflects on the smaller things that remind us of ‘home’.”

Chen was born in Hubei Province, China, moving from the region when her family were displaced by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, one of the largest hydroelectric dams in the world. Today, Chen works in Chengdu, inspired by the socio-political issues affecting everyday life around her. This exhibition, developed in collaboration with 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney, offers a rare survey of over a decade of her work.

The opening will be followed by a Tofu Banquet Dinner, presented in partnership with the Goulburn Valley Chinese Association, at Mooroopna’s Yiche Restaurant. The meal will feature a specially designed Chinese hotpot alongside other tofu dishes developed together by Chen and Yiche’s chef in a celebration of regional culinary traditions. Bookings for the Tofu Banquet can be made online.

Image: Chen Qiulin, The Hundred Surnames in Tofu (Chen) (still), 2004 – 2014, video installation, ed.5, courtesy the artist and A Thousand Plateaus Art Space
Chengdu © the artist.

Tofu Banquet

16 May 2016

Join SAM for a Tofu Banquet dinner – SOLD OUT

Tofu

noun

unfermented soya-bean curd, made from soya-bean milk.

Join Chinese artist Chen Qiulin for a tofu banquet that celebrates the diverse culinary traditions around the humble soya-bean, developed in partnership with Yiche Modern Asian Cuisine, Mooroopna. Chen Qiulin has designed a special hotpot recipe for Shepparton that will form the centrepiece of the Tofu Banquet.

Tofu Banquet is a partnership project between the Goulburn Valley Chinese Association, SAM and Yiche Modern Asian Cuisine as part of the exhibition Chen Quilin. One Hundred Names.

When: Saturday 4 June 6.30 to 8.30pm
Where: Yiche Modern Asian Cuisine, 77 McLennan Street, Mooroopna
Cost: $35
RSVP: This is a SOLD OUT event

Image: Chen Qiulin, One Hundred Surnames in Tofu [still] (detail), 2004, single channel courtesy the artist and A Thousand Plateaus Art Space, Chengdu © the artist

SAM Drawing Wall #23 with Simone Slee.

13 May 2016

Simone Slee is the next artist to feature on the SAM Drawing Wall.

Simone Slee works across installation, photography, video and performance. Slee sees this as a form of extended sculptural practice, investigating and questioning what sculpture is and what it can be. She has exhibited throughout Australia and internationally. She is currently the Head of Sculpture and Spatial Practice, in Art, at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), University of Melbourne where she has also completed a PhD. Slee is represented by Melbourne based gallery Sarah Scout Presents.

For SAM’s Drawing Wall commission, Slee will focus on local Shepparton suburban architecture. The work is a continuation of her series, Houses that are happy to help with at least one of the possible problems of art, 2010 – ongoing. Slee will be creating a series of new photographs of local architectural gems to add to the series.

This series of works investigates houses in a suburban landscape. In front of each house, she poses the question “Are Your Materials Honest?” This question alludes to the shift that occurred in the early 20^th century, where Modernist architects rejected decorative effect and asserted a need for rigor and pared back form. The photographs invite the viewer to consider architectural styles and forms and question whether or not the materials themselves could be more than just ornamental.

Simone will be installing her work on Monday 16 May from 9am. This is a great opportunity for the community to come by and see Slee at work and ask her questions about her art and processes.

Image Credit: Simone Slee, Houses that are happy to help with at least one of the possible problems of art, 2010 – ongoing, series of inkjet prints on wallpaper, varying dimensions.

Career Pathways in the Arts

6 May 2016

A new series is designed to give current students looking to undertake a career in the arts the opportunity to hear from local young arts professionals about their pathway in the arts.

Date: Wednesday 18 May & 22 June
Time: 5 to 7pm
Audience: VCE and Senior students
Venue: Alex Rigg Room (Shepparton City Council)
Cost: Free,
Bookings: 5832 9861
Tutor: Various

In this new series for current students, SAM invites young professionals from Shepparton to talk about their successful careers pathways in the arts. Each speaker will outline key aspects of their studies, practice or careers and discuss personal and professional challenges and choices made. Given the considerable emphasis on entrepreneurial and transferable creative skills and thinking, the arts are increasingly seen as enabling or fostering these skills which are a key to future employment regardless of one’s occupation. This series provides students with an opportunity to understand the range of career options within arts and culture sector as a viable and exciting field of future study and employment.

Wednesday 18 May

Applied Art, Digital Media and Business

Amina Barolli, Evan Lancaster and Chris Hawking.

Amina Barolli, Marketing Coordinator at SAM, portrait & event photographer at Amina Barolli Photography.

Evan Lancaster, Senior Visualisation Designer GMH and co-director at Minicades Mobile since 2012.

Chris Hawking, Graphic Designer at Greater Shepparton City Council and Photographer/Videographer for his own business Click Photo.

Wednesday 22 June

Museum and Arts Organisations

Gabriella Calandro, Patsy Killeen and Kimberly Moulton

Gabriella Calandro, Marketing Coordinator at SAM, Cultural Partnerships Coordinator at Regional Arts Victoria, Volunteer Exhibition Attendant at 55th Venice Biennale (Australian Council for the Arts).

Patsy Killeen, Grimwade Intern (Education) Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne, Volunteer Exhibition Attendant at 56th Venice Biennale (Australian Council for the Arts).

Kimberley Moulton, Senior Curator South Eastern Australian Aboriginal collections, Melbourne Museum.

SAM Calls for Local Artists to Submit Exhibition Proposals

6 May 2016

Exhibit at SAM in December 2016

Each year SAM goes local across December and January, spotlighting the practice of local artists with three exhibitions;

SAM Local. Spotlight,
SAM Local. VCE Art and Studio Arts and
SAM Local. Best of Friends.

SAM Local. Spotlight profiles the work of one artist with a solo exhibition. This initiative encourages, stimulates and promotes local and regional cultural activities as part of SAM’s annual program. It enables artists to experience working in a professional museum context. Exhibitions are programmed up to six months in advance.

Artists looking to apply are encouraged to contact SAM Senior Curator, Anna Briers for more information: anna.briers@shepparton.vic.gov.au

Eligible artists:

Applicant must live within a 100km radius of Shepparton
Applicant must be a Victorian resident

To apply to exhibit at SAM in December 2016 in SAM Local. Spotlight, eligible artists must submit the following by 5pm Wednesday 1 June, 2016 to Senior Curator Anna Briers anna.briers@shepparton.vic.gov.au.

A one page document that details your proposal, outlining your conceptual ideas or approach plus a short artist’s biography and contact detail
3-5 web resolution jpeg images of artworks labelled with your name, date, title, medium and dimensions.

SAM Foundation Announcement

5 May 2016

$1M DONATION TO NEW SAM PROJECT

A further significant philanthropic grant was announced today to support the new Shepparton Art Museum (SAM). The Sir Andrew Fairley Foundation and the Gantner family have each agreed to commit an amount of $500,000 to this exciting and transformational project.

The construction of the new SAM has been identified by the Shepparton community, including both the Greater Shepparton City Council and the Committee for Greater Shepparton, as a signature project that is vital for the Goulburn Valley region’s economic, social and cultural wellbeing. With the strong and valued support of Council, and the State of Victoria, each of which have committed $10m towards project funding, the vision of a new SAM is now real and achieveable.

An application has been lodged with the Federal Government’s National Stronger Regions Fund for the funding of a further $10m.

The Chair of the Sir Andrew Fairley Foundation, Andrew Fairley AM spoke of the reasons why his family has made a commitment to this project –

“We are supporting this project because it will create positive and profound change in the cultural ethos of this great city. Sir Andrew Fairley was instrumental in the creation of the original Shepparton Art Gallery, which laid the foundations for the outstanding collection that is housed in the current SAM.

We consider that this intiative of the new SAM, situated on the shores of the lake, celebrating the rich arts, culture and heritage of the region will be a catalyst for tourism, creativity, and cultural self-esteem.”

The donation from the Gantner family comes on top of their already generous commitment to donate a significant collection of Australian indigenous artwork to the new SAM once the construction is completed. Carrillo Gantner AO, a SAM Foundation Director said –

“I am delighted at the progress that’s been made on this project. I sense a strong groundswell of passionate support, not just for a new arts facility for the city and the Goulburn Valley, but also for the wider economic, social and cultural impact on the entire region.”

The SAM Foundation has been established to raise funding from private and philanthropic sources, and so far has over $2m in committed funding for the new SAM. Today’s announcement takes that well over $3m, which places the Foundation in an outstanding position.

SAM Foundation Chairman, Peter Quinn said –

“We are truly thrilled to have received this news of a further $1m committed to our vision for a new SAM. To have received the commitment from two such distinguished participants in our community speaks volumes for the importance of the project.”

The community now eagerly awaits the outcome of the Federal Government funding application. In the meantime, the SAM Foundation is continuing its work on securing further private sector and philanthropic contributions towards the project.

Chen Qiulin. One Hundred Names.

29 April 2016

In June SAM welcomes one of China’s most acclaimed contemporary artists Chen Qiulin.

In June SAM welcomes one of China’s most acclaimed contemporary artists Chen Qiulin and the exhibition One Hundred Names. This exhibition, developed in collaboration with 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney offers a rare survey of over a decade of work by this multidisciplinary artist.

Using a combination of photography, video installation, performance and other media, Chen investigates the contradictions that arise when a country tries both to maintain tradition, and to develop rapidly. Her work examines how migration, displacement, and urban development disrupt traditional Chinese ancestry, culture and way of life. While the unusually rapid development of China highlights these issues, they are not unique to China, and reflect stories and experiences shared by many others in the developing world.

SAM Director, Dr Rebecca Coates says:

“SAM is delighted to present a major exhibition by contemporary Chinese artist Chen Qiulin. Her work explores global themes such as migration, economic growth, the rise of the new middle class. Through her ongoing interest in food and scent, she reflects on the smaller things that remind us of ‘home’. The themes that run through Chen’s work resonate strongly in the Shepparton and Goulburn Valley region, now home to many who have come from other parts of the globe.”

Chen was born in Hubei Province and currently works in Chengdu, an important metropolitan hub in southwest China. She has worked in the same area of China throughout her career, inspired by the socio-political issues affecting everyday life around her.

This 7 week exhibition features a series of early photographic works from the Migration series including The Garden (2007) and Dawning Bell (2009), which see the artist stage theatrical performances against the backdrop of Chen’s home city of Wanzhou, collaborating with local workers as both cast and crew.

Chen will also present, One Hundred Names for Kwong Wah Chong, (2015), a multi-channel video installation commissioned by 4A Centre For Contemporary Asian Art. This work is the latest iteration of Qiulin’s on-going One Hundred Surnames in Tofu (2004 – ) project that presents the one hundred most common Chinese family names carved in tofu. In this version of the work, Qiulin has also produced a series of short documentaries with local residents of Chengdu. These conversations draw on personal experiences of displacement and allow audiences to think about migration more broadly in Shepparton, Australia and in other parts of the world.

As part of her exhibition at SAM, Chen will perform a tofu carving using significant Chinese migrant names from the Shepparton area.

Important dates
Exhibition Dates	4 June to 24 July 2016
Exhibition Opening	Saturday 4 June 2016, 4 to 6pm
Tofu Carving Performance	Saturday 4 June 2016, from 4pm

SAM announces 2016 Indigenous Ceramic Art Award (ICAA) shortlisted artists.

27 April 2016

2016 ICAA artists Shortlisted.

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is delighted to announce the seven shortlisted artists and arts collectives who will present an exhibition in the 2016 Indigenous Ceramic Art Award (ICAA). The Award celebrates and supports the rich and diverse use of the ceramic medium by Indigenous artists and acknowledges the special industry of ceramic art. The winner of the $20,000 acquisitive prize will be announced during the exhibition official opening event, Saturday 20 August 2016.

The 2016 shortlisted artists are:

Janet Fieldhouse, Torres Strait (QLD)
Deanne Gilson, Wadawurrung/ Wathaurung (VIC)
Sean Miller, Kamilaroi (NSW)
Raymond Young, Gunnai / Yorta Yorta/ Gunditjmara (VIC)
Alison Murray, Girramay (QLD)
Gallery Kaiela Artists (VIC)
Jack Anselmi, Yorta Yorta
Cynthia Hardie, Yorta Yorta

Ernbella Women Potters, Pukatja Community – Pitjantjatjara Language (SA)
Lynette Lewis
Yaritji Jack
Marissa Thompson
Anne Thompson
Tjimpuna Williams
Janelle Thompson
Rachael Mipantjiti Lionel
Alison Milyika Carroll
Carlene Thompson

In 2016 the ICAA attracted applications from around the country. The seven shortlisted applicants have been invited to present a substantial body of new work for display at SAM from 6 August to 25 September, 2016. Accompanying the exhibition will be a series of cultural programs that will provide skills and knowledge exchange.

The 2016 ICAA will be curated by Project Curator Joanna Bosse and Belinda Briggs, Curatorial Assistant – Indigenous Visual Arts.

SAM Out Late! with Kenny Pittock

15 April 2016

Kenny Pittock will be at SAM talking about the ideas and meaning behind his captivating vending machine artwork “31 Dinner Options While Waiting for the Last Train Home”, 2015.

The Shepparton Art Museum will welcome Cornucopia artist Kenny Pittock to SAM for SAM Out Late! on Thursday 21 April.

For each exhibition, SAM develops a series of SAM Out Late! programs to complement the exhibitions. The program invites exhibiting artists and curators to present floor talks and forums allowing insight into artistic processes and a deeper understanding into exhibition themes. The evening also encourages those attending to add to the dialogue on the night by ask questions and get involved in the conversation.

In response to SAM current exhibition, Cornucopia, next week artist Kenny Pittock will be at SAM presenting on the ideas and meaning behind his captivating vending machine artwork 31 Dinner Options While Waiting for the Last Train Home.

Throughout the duration of Cornucopia this life size contemporary cornucopia has tricked and delighted visitors to the Museum. As you approach the vending machine you see the familiar snack options all lined up, perfectly lit and it’s only after a closer look do you notice these snack are not quite right.

To find out how Pittock’s vending machine came together and more about his artistic process come along to the free SAM event on Thursday 21 April.

SAM Out Late! with Kenny Pittock
When: Thursday 21 April, 6 – 7pm
Where: SAM
Cost: Free
RSVP: Call SAM (03) 5832 9861, light refreshments provided

SAM Out Late! with curator Anna Briers
Learn more about the themes and artists in the exhibition Cornucopia with Senior Curator Anna Briers.
When: Thursday 12 May, 6 – 7pm
Where: SAM
Cost: Free
RSVP: Call SAM (03) 5832 9861, light refreshments provided

A Centre for Everything

12 April 2016

Upcoming event at SAM

A Centre for Everything: Some Questions, A Few Stories and an Albanian Dinner.

As part of the SAM exhibition Cornucopia, the art collective A Centre for Everything will be conducting a “performative quiz” at Lutfiyes Shish Kebab.

Participants will enjoy Albanian cuisine, engage in conversations about art and cultural customs, and take part in a quiz about SAM, culinary skills and Eastern European geography.

Find out more about A Centre for Everything here.

SOME QUESTIONS

This performative quiz brings together art, food and place. Brush up on your culinary trivia, visit Shepparton Art Museum and hone your Eastern European geography to take home the prize. No need to book teams – they will be assembled on the night.

A FEW STORIES

Interwoven into the night will be anecdotes gathered from local and international conversations, artworks and customs. Half-knowledge, hard facts and fiction mingle in these pieces of gossip.

ALBANIAN DINNER

Lutfiyes Shish Kebab is an institution in Shepparton. It was established in 1990 by Azem and Jeihan, a young couple who now also run Shepparton’s mobile soup kitchen, provide food for fire fighters in emergencies, and basically, treat everyone like family when they enter their restaurant. And they make incredible food. Come and enjoy their signature Albanian rice, delicious baked vegetables and tasty stews.

Date:         Saturday 7 May
Time:         5 to 8pm
Audience: Adults
Venue:     Lutfiyes Shish Kebab, 338 Wyndham St, Shepparton
Cost:         $15 (Incl. Dinner)
Artists:     Gabrielle de Vietri and Will Foster
Bookings: To book click HERE

Adult Programs

Kids and Family Programs

The design competition opens on Friday 29 July and closes at 4pm on 31 August. For information on the design competition visit www.greatershepparton.com.au

Traditional Owners Acknowledgement.