SAM Studios, our art extension workshop series for senior high school students, returns for Term 1 with local Yorta Yorta ceramic artist Jack Anselmi at the helm.

15 February 2023

Shepparton Art Museum’s popular after-school educational workshop series will be back for Term 1, running every Wednesday from 22 February to 29 March. This term, Yorta Yorta artist and Kaiela Arts mainstay Jack Anselmi will lead students through the series of workshops. SAM Studios offers art-focused mentoring and assists senior students in developing and gaining new practical art skills under the instruction of practising artists and experienced SAM staff.

Gabriella Calandro, SAM Engagement Manager, says of the program:

“SAM Studios builds on the school curriculum and creates a space where senior students can access materials and can continue to hone their technique and skill to enhance their abilities, allowing them to grow their folio for final assessment at the end of the year. Jack is passionate about sharing his skills and knowledge with others, and has a wonderful energy and enthusiasm about art. Students will benefit immensely from weekly face-to-face sessions under his mentorship.”

The six-week course will draw from Jack’s extensive knowledge and experience, diving into the art of clay mould-making and hand-building ceramics. Students are encouraged to explore their own artistic style and language, build their skill across artforms, enrich their own portfolios and gain industry insight to inform their future pathways. Previous participants in the SAM Studios workshops have gone on to have their works selected in SAM’s annual GV Top Arts exhibition FRESH, which showcases the talent of young artists in the region and provides their first experience in exhibiting in a significant arts institution, creating exposure and recognition.

The SAM Studios sessions are free, with registrations open to all senior students in the Goulburn Valley region who are currently studying Art, Studio Art or Visual Communication. Bookings can be made via the SAM website: https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/event/sam-studios-with-jack-anslemi/

SAM Studios is generously supported by the Victorian Government Department of Education and Training.

About the artist:

Jack Anselmi is a proud Yorta Yorta man from Mooroopna, Victoria. A regular participating artist at Kaiela Arts, Jack enjoys sharing his knowledge with others and learning new skills. He is highly regarded for his striking animal carvings, sculptures and ceramics.  Jack has received various commissions including from Melbourne University and Goulburn Valley Grammar School. In 2016, Jack Anselmi worked with fellow artist Cynthia Hardie to create a large ceramic installation called ‘Midden’ for the Indigenous Ceramic Art Award at Shepparton Art Museum. ’Midden’ was one of five shortlisted entries and won the 2016 Award for its innovative use of the medium of ceramic. A recurring theme in his ceramics is the long-neck turtle, which is the Yorta Yorta totem. Jack breathes life into previously inanimate objects whether in wood or ceramic, his animals have an energy about them that is captivating.

SAM’s 2023 exhibition program announced

7 February 2023

The Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) has today announced its 2023 exhibition program. Over the next 12 months, SAM will stage 17 new exhibitions across all five floors.

In 2023, SAM will present exhibitions that connect with locally relevant stories and histories, celebrate Australian artists, and continue to foster national institutional relationships.

SAM’s next major exhibition will focus on the practice of Melbourne-based contemporary artist Ash Keating. Keating, who has exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally, has developed a specialised technique of creating paintings with atmospheric compositions, replicating visuals of natural environmental systems through running, dripping paint. Elevation, his solo exhibition at SAM, will open on March 18 and will feature a series of large-scale works in his signature style that respond to the landscape of the Goulburn Valley region.

Opening simultaneously with Elevation will be SAM’s next collection show. Borrowing its name from a Leonard Cohen song, Dance Me to the End of Love will take visitors on a journey from birth to death and will feature much-loved items from the SAM collection, including Sam Jinks’ 2010 sculptural work Woman & Child.

In July, SAM will present JamFactory Icon 2021 Kunmanara Carroll: Ngaylu Nyanganyi Ngura Winki (I Can See All Those Places), a touring exhibition from JamFactory. Celebrating the career of Luritja/Pintupi/Pitjantjatjara artist Kunmanara Carroll, the solo exhibition will explore his influence and practice, examining the legacy of cultural knowledge he sought to preserve through his paintings and ceramic sculptures.

The 2023 program will close with an exhibition of selected works from the extensive collection of Arndt Art Agency director Matthias Arndt. The exhibition will feature works by both Australian and international artists.

Throughout the year, SAM will continue to present engaging shows in the Children’s Gallery space. For the first time in May, the Children’s Gallery will feature a selection of playful objects from the SAM collection. Later in the year, Melbourne-based visual artist Beci Orpin will bring her signature colourful, geometric style to the space to delight the young and old alike.

SAM’s extensive collection of ceramics will be on show throughout the SAM building in 2023. In February, guest curator and artist Adam John Cullen will present Three Hares; blending the old and the new, Three Hares will feature groupings of ceramics from the collection alongside responsive new works created by Cullen and a number of invited contemporary artists.

SAM will highlight local creative talent in its dedicated Hugh D. T. Williamson Community Gallery. Beginning with a celebration of the 2022 graduating class of arts students, FRESH: GV Top Art & Design 2022 opens in February and features the final folios of over twenty VCE students from across the Goulburn Valley. Following on, the submissions to the three open-call programs SAM Open, SAM EOI and SAM Spotlight will be on display consecutively, shining a light on the creativity of artists of all disciplines and stages in the region.

SAM CEO Melinda Martin says:

“We’re thrilled to present another year’s program of exciting, dynamic exhibitions. In 2023, more hidden treasures from our collection will be on display, and old favourites are poised to make their long-awaited return. The diversity in this year’s offerings with regards to perspective, materiality and method will surely make for a journey of discovery as our visitors explore our galleries over the coming months.”

More information on each exhibition will be released throughout the year. SAM is open 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays) from 10am to 4pm on weekdays and 10am to 5pm on weekends. Entry and exhibitions are free.

Image credit

Penny Byrne: The Four Horseman of the 21st Century Apocalypse, 2009. Shepparton Art Museum Collection, purchased, 2009. © the artist. This work will feature in upcoming major collections exhibiton Dance Me To The End Of Love.

Popular evening event SAM at Sunset returns to the museum on 23 February 2023 in a new, expanded format.

2 February 2023

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is thrilled to announce the return of SAM at Sunset in a new, monthly format in 2023. The popular program, which frequently sold out in its limited run in 2022, has evolved in its offerings to become a full museum experience for children and families alike.

Visitors can expect extended-hours access to galleries and the museum shop, curatorial and artist-led talks, creative workshops and ticketed access to the Level 4 bar and terrace, which will feature live music performances and refreshments. In February, SAM at Sunset will double as a celebration of the current temporary exhibition 4th National Indigenous Triennial: Ceremony, a touring show from the National Gallery of Australia, ahead of its closure at the end of the month. K/Gamilaroi artist Penny Evans, who work is featured in Ceremony, will be joining SAM to lead special creative workshops and floor talks in galleries, alongside SAM curators and National Gallery Special Projects Curator Kelli Cole (Warumungu/Luritja peoples).

The evening will also see the unveiling of the newly hung portraits in the current Children’s Gallery exhibition, All Together. Portraits taken of local GV families and groups in January by artists Meredith Turnbull and Ross Coulter will replace the current works on show to reflect the community engagement of the exhibition.

Melinda Martin, SAM CEO, says of the program:

“SAM at Sunset will become a monthly program that creates a space for our community to come together and explore the museum outside of normal museum hours. It’s perfect as a solo activity, a place to catch up with friends for after-work drinks, or as an after-school treat for families to practice creativity together. We are thrilled to be able to offer SAM at Sunset as a regular experience and offer a space where visitors will be able to enjoy regular live music performances. Late night gallery programs have been hugely successful in many arts institutions across the world, including at the National Gallery of Victoria, and we are thrilled to bring our own version of this programming to the Goulburn Valley.”

SAM at Sunset will begin in 2023 on Thursday 23 February from 4pm to 8pm and will be held on the last Thursday of the month. Entry to the museum and access to the workshops and talks are free, subject to program capacity limits; tickets to the Level 4 bar and live music will be available for purchase from Thursday 9 February on the SAM website. Visitors can sign up to the SAM at Sunset mailing list for priority access to the evening program and tickets via the link: https://eepurl.com/ii9HSX

Image: SAM After Sunset, Shepparton Art Museum, 2022. Photo by Cam Matheson

New Opening Hours at SAM in 2023

11 January 2023

From January 2023, Shepparton Art Museum will be open six days a week with extended weekend hours.

Coming into effect from 1 January 2023, Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) will be closed to the public every Tuesday, bringing the museum into alignment with the six-day-week industry norm. On weekends, visitors to the museum can now enjoy time to explore the facility with opening hours extending to 5pm. The Tuesday closures to the public will include room and facility bookings from external parties.

Melinda Martin, SAM CEO, says of the change:

“When reviewing our opening hours, we made the decision to extend our weekend hours to 5pm to increase the opportunities for our community to explore SAM outside of their own regular working hours. In addition to this, visitors can look forward to the return of SAM at Sunset, which we’ll be bringing back on a monthly basis in a new format to create a more expansive, full museum experience. We will be announcing our February program and information on how the community can buy tickets to the rooftop bar soon.

SAM and the SAM Café will be closed every Tuesday to allow museum staff to undertake minor maintenance and exhibition activities, which often require the use of heavy machinery. This will result in fewer sporadic closures and create fewer interruptions during our opening days, Wednesday to Monday. The six-day trading week is common across art institutions, and can be seen in our regional neighbour Benalla Art Gallery, and large institutions nationally and internationally.”

In addition to the museum, the SAM Café has also adopted the Tuesday closure and will now be open six days a week from 10am to 4pm.

SAM is now open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10am to 4pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. For SAM at Sunset, SAM will remain open until 8pm on the last Thursday of each month from February to November.

SAM Talks: What’s to come at SAM in 2023?

23 December 2022

Talk held: Thursday 8th December 2022.  

Present:

SAM CEO Melinda Martin (MM)

SAM Engagement Manager Gabriella Calandro (GC)

SAM Collections Officer Sophie Varapodio (SV)

SAM Public Programs Coordinator Olivia Trenorden (OT)

SAM Ambassador Amber Stephens (AS)

Transcript

AS: What exhibitions should we expect to see at SAM in 2023?

MM: We will be showing Ceremony over the Summer period here at SAM. Until late February, SAM will be the only Victorian venue for this very important Indigenous exhibition, touring from the National Gallery of Australia. Exhibiting Ceremony across our two main galleries on level 1 and level 2 will be interesting for SAM – to see how our visitors respond.

In March, we then move to Dance Me To The End Of Love, which is next year’s major Collection exhibition. It explores the cycle of life, from birth to death. That’s where we’re going to see Sam Jink’s, Mother and Child, which is the epitome of both those moments – a grandmother holding a small bub. This is a much-loved work, but we are also looking at some interesting ephemeral works as well as works that have been part of our ceramics and painting collections.

We are also working to deliver a collection show for our Children’s Gallery, which will be diving into our collection and creating opportunities for kids to engage with the SAM Collection, which we have never done in this space before.

AS: By engaging with the Goulburn Valley region, what can SAM offer to local creatives and why are the initiatives being offered so important to this area?

GC: The idea behind all our programming and events is to develop different ways for the community to come in, experience the space, the ideas and themes that are expressed via the exhibitions, and connect with the SAM Collection. It’s valuable in allowing people to gather, to express culture and experiences together, but also the opportunity to show well-known artists in their hometown, expressing the idea that art isn’t just in certain metropolitan areas. A museum is just a venue to facilitate those conversations and, give people the information and ideas to continue those conversations when they leave SAM.

OT: What can we expect to see from the SAM Collection in the new year?

SV: Our largest Collection engagement in 2023 will be exhibition, Dance Me To The End Of Love. There will be around 40 significant works from the SAM Collection, including audience favourites such as Sam Jink’s Woman and Child (2010). Other significant artists in the show include Ramesh Nithiyendran, Penny Byrne, Janet Fieldhouse, and Nell. The show also includes some of our Indigenous ceramic award finalists, as well as works that have never been shown at SAM before – such as works by Katthy Cavaliere.

MM: Katthy’s work will be especially interesting! The artist was at Carnivale, in Venice, and she collected a whole bunch of ephemera from the celebration, such as confetti, streamers and the like. So, part of the work is this suggestion of sweeping up what is left behind and the conversation that comes about when someone dies.

OT: SAM recently celebrated its first birthday. Can you share some key learnings that we will be taking with us from our first twelve months?

MM: It’s important that we, in our next phase, increase our local engagement. We can’t build on our achievements without the support of our community. We want to be in line at Tinto’s picking up bread and hear people say to friends visiting, “oh, you should go to SAM!” We know that people are coming to Shepparton to visit SAM – so we need to be able to share the love and bring people a sense of community pride when they visit SAM.

OT: Just to sum all this up, what are you most looking forward to seeing at SAM in the new year?

MM: I am really looking forward to sharing more of our collection and sharing the stories contained within it, and our collection being a real starting point to spark meaningful conversations, so that we can provide those amazing experiences that, in two years, people remember, reflect on, and inspire people.

SV: I am looking forward to people coming back to SAM and seeing new things, how the spaces have changed and observing their reactions. As a team in a new space, we have learnt a lot about how people interact with the artworks and move through the space.

GC: Seeing visitors return is a major one for me. It’s why we’re here – connecting with locals and developing programs that help them see themselves reflected in what we do at SAM. It’s an ongoing journey, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we grow the community experience.

Image: The Unveiling of Sam Jinks’ Woman and Child, 2010, Shepparton Art Museum, 2020.

Voting in the Shepparton Art Museum 2022 ICA People’s Choice Award has closed, with Bankstown Koori Elders Group crowned the winner.

16 December 2022

Voting in the Shepparton Art Museum 2022 ICA People’s Choice Award has closed, with Bankstown Koori Elders Group crowned the winner.

Shepparton Art Museum extends its congratulations to the Bankstown Koori Elders on their success in winning the People’s Choice Award in the 2022 Indigenous Ceramic Award (ICA). The winning artwork, titled Waterhole of Kinship (2020), amassed 20% of the overall votes, submitted by visitors to the exhibition over its duration. The group will share the $1,500 prize.

The Bankstown Koori Elders Group, consisting of Lorna Morgan (Waka-Waka, Darumbal), Lillian Johnson (Waka-Waka, Gubbi Gubbi), Gloria Peronchik (Waka-Waka, Gangulu), Beverley Gilmartin (Wiradjuri), Victoria Woods (Wiradjuri), Margaret Foat (Buandik), Lola Simmons (Wailwan) and John Simmons, are previous participants in SAM’s ICA. The artist collective received the top acquisitive prize in the 2014 ICA for their work After the Rain, Bungle Bungle.

Their 2020 work Waterhole of Kinship, a large circular work consisting of a number of individual ceramic tiles pieced together, is reminiscent of the cracked earth found in creek beds during drought. Each tile is decorated with its own unique pattern; the collaborative nature of the work acknowledges how individual experiences and cultural knowledge intermingle, like water flowing through creeks and rivers to form pools of water.

In their artist statement, the group dedicated the work to new generations of First Nations People in the hope that they will remain connected to Country and carry a deep love and respect for all living things.

Presented on Yorta Yorta Country, the award provides a national platform to share personal, historical and deep cultural learnings from artists and Country. It celebrates and supports the rich and diverse use of the ceramic medium by Indigenous artists and acknowledges the special industry of ceramic art. The Bankstown Koori Elders Group will join Pitjantjatjara artist Anne Nginyangka Thompson and Gamilaroi artist Sean Miller as prize winners of 2022 ICA, who were awarded the Major Acquisitive Prize and South-East Australian Aboriginal Artist prizes respectively.

Belinda Briggs, SAM Indigenous Curator, says of the People’s Choice Awards:

“We hope our visitors and guests enjoyed taking part in the 2022 ICA in this small way and appreciate the time and thought everyone gave. Congratulations to the Bankstown Koori Elders on their beautiful, and somewhat pertinent, work as we all consider the value of water in our lives currently with floods affecting communities throughout the southeast. We also extend our congratulations to all the participating artists for their contributions, and for giving us the privilege to share your stories and showcase your stunning works.”

The 2022 ICA exhibition closed at SAM on 4 December, however visitors will be able to view the People’s Choice Award winner outside the SAM Café entrance on Level 1 of the museum. The work will be on display throughout January 2023. Copies of the exhibition catalogue with the full list of final works are available at the SAM shop for purchase.

Full list of 2022 ICA finalists 

Anne Nginyangka Thompson, Pitjantjatjara (SA) – WINNER, Major Acquisitive Prize ($20,000)  

Sean Miller, Gamilaroi (NSW) – WINNER, South-East Australian Aboriginal Artist Award ($5,000)

Bankstown Koori Elders Group (NSW) 

Lorna Morgan Waka-Waka, Darumbal (QLD), Lillian Johnson Waka-Waka, Gubbi Gubbi (QLD), Gloria Peronchik Waka-Waka Gangulu (QLD), Beverley Gilmartin Wiradjuri (NSW), Victoria Woods Wiradjuri (NSW), Margaret Foat, Buandik (SA), Lola Simmons Wailwan (NSW), John Simmons (NSW) – WINNER, People’s Choice Award ($1,500)

Alfred Lowe, Arrernte (NT) 

Alison Milyika Carroll, Pitjantjatjara (SA)  

Beth Inkamala Mbitjana, Western Aranda (NT)

Billy Bain, Darug (NSW) 

Carlene Thompson, Pitjantjatjara (SA)  

Debbie Taylor-Worley, Gamilaraay/Gomeroi (NSW)  

Elisa Jane Carmichael, Ngugi (QLD) 

Elizabeth Dunn, Pitjantjatjara (SA) 

Hayley Coulthard Panangka, Western Aranda (NT)  

Jock Puautjimi, Tiwi (NT) 

Megan Croydon, Kuku Yalanji (QLD) 

Philip Denham, Girramay (QLD) 

Philomena Yeatman, Gunggandji (QLD) 

Rupert Jack, Pitjantjatjara (SA) 

Tjunkaya Tapaya OAM, Pitjantjatjara (SA)  

Vivian Pingkayi Thompson, Pitjantjatjara (SA) 

Highlights of the 2022 ICA

26 artists exhibited as finalists, plus one feature artist
16 language groups represented
Prizes 
Major Acquisitive Prize

$20,000 

South-East Australian Aboriginal Artist Prize

$5,000 

People’s Choice Award (winner to be announced upon the closing of the exhibition)

$1,500

Judging panel: Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta), Museums Victoria Senior Curator; Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, leading contemporary artist; Penny Evans (K/Gamilaroi), 2018 ICA finalist

ENDS

About the Bankstown Koori Elders Group:

Made up of twelve members of varying language groups, the Bankstown Koori Elders Group was established in 2004 at Condell Park Community Centre in Bankstown, New South Wales. The group is close-knit, with a friendship more akin to a family that supports each other in the process of reconnecting to Country and First Nations identities. The award-winning group exhibits regularly, both nationally and internationally as solo artists and as a collective and have been featured in numerous publications.

National Gallery of Australia’s 4th Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony opens 17 Dec

12 December 2022

National Gallery of Australia’s 4^th National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony will open at Shepparton Art Museum on 17 December on its second stop in its nation-wide tour.

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is honoured to partner with the National Gallery of Australia to present the 4^th National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony as it tours nationally. SAM features as the second host museum scheduled, and the sole Victorian venue on its tour.

Curated by Arrernte and Kalkadoon woman Hetti Perkins, in collaboration with National Gallery curators, the Ceremony touring exhibition showcases 15 new bodies of work by 35 First Nations artists from across the country. Ceremony, the fourth iteration of the National Indigenous Art Triennial since its inception in 2007, centres on the practice and observance of ceremony in First Nations cultures and highlights the central role it plays in the creative practices of many First Nations artists.

Perkins says of the exhibition:

“Ceremony is not a new idea in the context of our unique heritage, but neither is it something that belongs only in the past. In their works, the artists in this exhibition assert the prevalence of ceremony as a forum for artmaking today in First Nations communities.

“In each ceremonial action, artists make an individual mark in our history. Ceremony is the nexus of Country, culture and community, and the 4th National Indigenous Art Triennial is another stitch in a timeless heritage.”

Mapping the breadth of First Nations art practices from the traditional to the contemporary, the expansive exhibition brings together a diverse range of artists working in a variety of art forms including sculpture, painting, ceramics, moving image, photography and more.

SAM’s presentation of the touring exhibition includes works by artists Joel Bray, Kunmanara Carroll, Penny Evans, Nicole Foreshew with Boorljoonngali, Margaret Rarruu Garrawurra and Helen Ganalmirriwuy Garrawurra, Mantua Nangala, S.J Norman, Dylan River, Darrell Sibosado, Andrew Snelgar, James Tylor, Yarrenyty Arltere Artists and Tangentyere Artists, and Gutiŋarra Yunupiŋu.

A number of artworks, some site-specific, by Robert Fielding, Robert Andrew, Hayley Millar Baker, Dr Matilda House and Paul Girrawah House are not included in the touring exhibition, though formed an important part of the exhibition when it was displayed in the National Gallery of Australia. Visitors can learn more about these works through exhibition documentation that will be on display.

Melinda Martin, SAM CEO, says of the exhibition:

“We are thrilled to partner with the National Gallery to present such a significant exhibition at our museum, and on the country of the Yorta Yorta People. The show will span two floors of the museum in our main gallery spaces, creating a truly immersive experience.

“Ceremony celebrates Indigenous excellence and amplifies First Nations voices and stories. We hope visitors from across the state will join us to experience the powerful works created by some of Australia’s leading First Nations artists. Ceremony will be accompanied by a range of programming, with opportunities to meet artists throughout the course of the exhibition.”

The Triennial is the National Gallery’s flagship exhibition of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. The 4th National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony Touring Exhibition is made possible through the continued generosity of the National Gallery’s Indigenous Arts Partner Wesfarmers Arts and key philanthropic supporters.

On 14 December, the community is invited to attend SAM Talks: Ceremony at the museum for a conversation about the upcoming exhibition, hosted by National Gallery Head of First Nations Engagement Cara Kirkwood, Mandandanji/Mithaka peoples and Curator Peter Johnson. The event will be free and held at 5.30pm at SAM. Bookings can be made via Trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/CEFNE.

Further programming and resources for both the public and for educational/learning institutions will be announced soon.

4^th National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony opens at SAM on Saturday 17 December 2022 and will be showing until 26 February 2023 with free entry.

4^th National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony 2022-2024 touring program:

The University of Queensland Art Museum (UQ), QLD
27 August 2022 – 26 November 2022

Shepparton Art Museum, VIC
17 December 2022 – 26 February 2023

Araluen Arts Centre, NT
25 March – 12 June 2023

Samstag Museum of Art, UniSA, SA
Friday 29 September – Friday 8 Dec 2023

Western Plains Cultural Centre, NSW
20 Jan – 12 May 2024

Image: Joel Bray, Wiradjuri people, Giraaru Galing Gaanhagirri (still), 2022, commissioned by the National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra for the 4th National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony, created in consultation with Uncle James Ingram and Wagga Wagga Elders, and with support from City of Melbourne, Phillip Keir and Sarah Benjamin (the Keir Foundation), City of Port Phillip, Create NSW, Blacktown Arts, Arts Centre Melbourne, and Yirramboi Festival 2020, image courtesy and © the artist

New Community Gallery exhibition from local artist Aleisa Miksad is set to open this Friday 2 December 2022.

1 December 2022

New Community Gallery exhibition from local artist Aleisa Miksad is set to open this Friday 2 December 2022 in the first SAM Spotlight exhibition to be hosted at new SAM.

The first SAM Spotlight exhibition to take place at new SAM opens on Friday 2 December, with Kialla-based ceramicist Aleisa Miksad to become the first artist to be featured with her show Between Scylla and Charybdis | Amphora in SAM’s Hugh D.T Williamson Community Gallery.

Miksad, an emerging ceramic artist, combines contemporary aesthetics with traditional forms. Her work reinterprets the classical ceramics and sculptures of the Ancient Greeks and Etruscans, with her pieces resembling ancient vases encrusted in corals or sea anemones. In Between Scylla and Charybdis | Amphora, Miksad explores the themes of the “femme fatale” and misogyny in Western art and literature by presenting a series of porcelain vessels, each embodying a different female character depicted in Homer’s The Odyssey.

Designed to showcase the work of early-career artists in the region, SAM Spotlight is a dedicated solo exhibition opportunity, with feature artists identified through an open expression-of-interest process. The successful applicant then works with SAM curators to design and present a show of their recent work, which will be on display in the Community Gallery at SAM for a period of 12 weeks. SAM Spotlight is a commissioned opportunity, with participating artists receiving an artist fee and stipend for artwork production.

Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Curator – Community, says of the exhibition:

“In preparing for this show, Aleisa has pushed her practice conceptually and materially by experimenting with scale and narrative to produce the series of ceramic vases that make up Between Scylla and Charybdis | Amphora.  SAM Spotlight is a fantastic opportunity for local artists to expand their practice and exhibit in a major regional art museum. We encourage everyone to come along to the opening on Friday to celebrate the creativity of our community, meet other art-interested locals, and maybe even envision your own work in the space next year!”

Aleisa Miksad: Between Scylla and Charybdis | Amphora will open on Friday 2 December 2022 and will run until 12 February 2023. The community is invited to the official exhibition opening event, which will include opening remarks from SAM CEO Melinda Martin and SAM Curator – Community Caroline Esbenshade. RSVPs can be made via Trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/CEHVT

About Aleisa Miksad:

Aleisa Miksad (b.1980, Mackay QLD) lives in Kialla. She has exhibited with Craft Victoria and was a finalist in the 2022 Lake Art Prize. Between 2018 to 2020 she attended classes with celebrated ceramicist Damon Moon, which has had a lasting influence on her ceramics practice.

Image: Aleisa Miksad, Circe, 2022 (detail). Courtesy of the artist.

Two open-call group exhibitions at Shepparton Art Museum are now open to applications

18 November 2022

Two opportunities for local creatives to have their works on display in the Shepparton Art Museum’s (SAM) Community Gallery are now open to applications. SAM Fresh: GV Top Art & Design 2022, the annual VCE arts exhibition, is now open for VCE students who completed Unit 4 in Arts, Studio Arts or Visual Communications in 2022 to submit their final folio works for display. SAM Open 2023, an annual open-call group exhibition, is now accepting submissions of works that respond to the theme of Home.

SAM Fresh 2021 featured in the SAM Community Gallery as part of the museum’s opening suite of exhibitions in November 2021. The works of over 40 local VCE students were displayed and offered a valuable opportunity to establish an exhibition history for senior students wanting to pursue careers in the arts.

Available to creatives aged 16 years and over at all experience levels or career stages, SAM Open celebrates the creativity of the Greater Shepparton, Goulburn Valley and Hume regions. The theme for the upcoming SAM Open is Home. The theme is open to broad artistic interpretation and may be approached from a personal, social, or cultural perspective.

Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Community Curator, says of the opportunities:

“I’m excited about the upcoming SAM Open and SAM Fresh exhibitions – both programs offer creatives of all stages an opportunity to exhibit their work in a nationally significant regional gallery and an opportunity for us to shine a spotlight on our community. SAM Fresh, our VCE arts show, will showcase the talent of students in our region and provide them with feedback on their work to continue in their professional development. SAM Open builds on the history of the Friends of SAM annual exhibition, celebrating and promoting the diversity of creativity in our region.”

Folio submissions for SAM Fresh: GV Top Art & Design 2022 will close on 12 December 2022. SAM Fresh will be on display at SAM from 18 February to 23 April 2023.

Applications for SAM Open 2023 will close on 6 February 2023. SAM Open will be on display at SAM from 29 April to 16 July 2023.

Information on the full process, guidelines and artwork specifications can be found on the SAM website: https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/support-get-involved/exhibit-at-sam/

Meredith Turnbull & Ross Coulter’s All Together, SAM’s newest Children’s Gallery exhibition opens 12 November 2022

8 November 2022

Meredith Turnbull & Ross Coulter’s All Together, SAM’s newest Children’s Gallery exhibition, is set to open this Saturday 12 November 2022.

SAM is pleased to present All Together in its Children’s Gallery from artists Meredith Turnbull & Ross Coulter. Playfully referencing the history of the group portrait from Velasquez’s famous work Las Meninas through to the "awkward family photo", All Together is the next stage in an evolving project from Turnbull and Coulter. Featuring a collection of group photos of families, the exhibition expands on how we interpret and represent ‘family’ in this collaborative project between the artists and visitors to SAM.

The Children’s Gallery, transformed into a creative workshop space, will feature a large, quilted backdrop and selfie station where gallery-goers can self-compose their own group portrait. Workstations with materials will also be placed in the space for young visitors to create their own portrait of their family and friends in more unconventional settings. The artworks created by visitors can then adorn the walls of the gallery, growing the exhibition over time and joining the portraits previously taken by the artists.

Artists Meredith Turnbull and Ross Coulter say of the exhibition:

“With our project All Together, we want to make a joyful space for people to come into that is supportive and celebrates our families and networks - people we value and spend time with. We’re excited to be here on Yorta Yorta Country and to have the opportunity to work with Shepparton’s strong and diverse communities. We’d love it if kids can come into this space and feel comfortable to take photos of themselves, their friends and/or family and have a think about the special people in their lives. They’re also free to direct and choreograph their groups in their photos! It’s been a challenging time for local community with the recent floods and for all of us in different ways during the pandemic and many of these issues are ongoing. With the group portraits we really want our participants to enjoying the process of coming together and to come away with a beautiful group photograph that they can enjoy for years to come.”

In January 2023, visitors to SAM will have the opportunity to pose for a professional group photo, taken by the artists themselves. The portraits will become part of the growing All Together project, and families will receive a digital copy of their portrait to keep.

Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Curator – Community, says of the exhibition:

“All Together is both an exhibition and a creative space, and is particularly a place for families. This show asks us to reflect our idea of family – for many people, it doesn’t just consist of relatives, but also friends, pets, sports teammates. I’m looking forward to seeing all the expressions of family our community has captured – be it in the photographs taken by the artists, the artworks made by kids in the space, or the pictures taken by visitors and shared on Instagram. In February, Meredith & Ross will incorporate the community portraits taken from our January photoshoots into the exhibition, and I hope that seeing themselves on the gallery walls will make visitors feel like they are part of SAM.”

Meredith Turnbull & Ross Coulter: All Together will open on Saturday 12 November 2022 and will run until 30 April 2023. Bookings can be made for professional group portrait sittings via the link: https://www.trybooking.com/CDPVD

About Meredith Turnbull & Ross Coulter:

Meredith Turnbull and Ross Coulter have 40 years combined experience making and exhibiting art. Individually they were featured in the 2012 National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) exhibition Melbourne Now and have extensive solo careers. They frequently exhibit with major institutions such as the NGV, the Ian Potter Museum of Art at the University of Melbourne, Monash University Museum of Art, and Heide Museum of Modern Art. Their work is held in
public collections across Australia.

ENDS

SAM Open 2023 – Announcement of theme

25 October 2022

The theme for the Shepparton Art Museum’s annual open-call exhibition has been set, with applications to open in November 2022.

SAM Open is Shepparton Art Museum (SAM)’s annual open-call exhibition that celebrates and showcases the creativity of the artistic community across Greater Shepparton, the Goulburn Valley and the Hume Region. The exhibition program invites local artists working in any medium and at any experience level or career stage to submit work for inclusion in SAM Open. The selected submissions are then exhibited collectively in the SAM Community Gallery.

The theme for the upcoming SAM Open is Home. The theme is open to broad artistic interpretation and may be approached from a personal, social, or cultural perspective. 

Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Community Curator, says of the theme:

“This year we’ve chosen the theme of ‘Home’ because it’s something that everyone has a concept of, but everyone’s experience or understanding of what ‘home’ is to them will be unique. In picking a theme, I hoped to land on something that was broad enough for everyone to feel they could respond to, but tangible enough that it could inspire and provide an opportunity for conversations to unfold to better connect us as a community.”

From 7 November 2022, artists based in Greater Shepparton, Goulburn Valley and the Hume Region will be able to apply to exhibit their works in SAM Open. Applications will close on 6 February 2023. SAM Open will be on display at SAM from 29 April to 16 July 2023. Information on the full process, guidelines and artwork specifications can be found on the SAM website: https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/support-get-involved/exhibit-at-sam/

ENDS

About SAM:

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), located on Yorta Yorta Country, is one of Australia's outstanding regional art museums, showcasing our exhibitions and collections in new and exciting ways and creating a welcoming, inclusive, and engaging space for all audiences. Artists are central to our work. Our programming is designed to be locally relevant and engage with global contemporary ideas. SAM is recognised for its significant Australian ceramics collection, and our nationally significant collection of Indigenous art. As the only public art museum in Greater Shepparton and north central Victoria, our mission is to present great art in Shepparton, and to contribute to the cultural enrichment, community engagement and economic prosperity of the region.

Media enquiries, please contact: Louise Tremper, Marketing Coordinator, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5026 e: ltremper@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

2022 ICA Winners Announced

10 October 2022

The winners of the Shepparton Art Museum’s 2022 Indigenous Ceramics Award have been announced, with Pitjantjatjara artist Anne Nginyangka Thompson and Gamilaroi artist Sean Miller taking out the top prizes.

Anne Nginyangka Thompson was awarded the Major Acquisitive Prize of $20,000 for her 2022 work Strong Family Connection by the judging panel, consisting of K/Gamilaroi artist Penny Evans, artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran and Senior Curator of South Eastern Aboriginal Collections at Museums Victoria Kimberley Moulton. The South-East Australian Aboriginal Artist Prize of $5,000 was awarded to Sean Miller for his 2022 work Galibaay on Country.

Anne Nginyangka Thompson is a previous ICA winner, having taken out the top prize in 2014 with her work Ngayuku Ngura, which was acquired into the SAM collection. Strong Family Connection, her entry to the 2022 ICA, is an elongated stoneware vase with several vignettes etched into its surface, reminiscent of traditional blue willow fine china patterns, and reflects Nginyangka Thompson’s deep appreciation of nature. At the close of the 2022 ICA exhibition, her winning work will be acquired into the SAM collection.

Sean Miller is a previous ICA finalist, with his work Songlines in the Sky making it into the 2016 ICA. Galibaay on Country, his entry to the 2022 ICA, is a large ceramic vessel adorned with a wooden snake, which winds its way around the neck of the vessel. The vessel features an etched chevron pattern – a common motif in Miller’s work.

Penny Evans, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran and Kimberley Moulton, 2022 ICA judging panel, say of the winning works:

“Anne’s work was visually, aesthetically, and technically resolved, with a remarkable complexity in its depiction of the mapping and connection to country. It held an energy that captivated each of us.

Sean’s work had presence, and the depth of the carving impressed us. As an artist, Sean is confident and has sound knowledge in materiality. The work has a playfulness to it and was a strong reflection of the iconography of his country.”

Now in its seventh iteration, the 2022 ICA attracted submissions from across Australia. The exhibition features 19 finalist works from 26 contemporary artists, representing 16 language groups.

Voting for the 2022 ICA People’s Choice Award will continue until the close of the exhibition on 4 December. Announcement of the award winner will take place soon after vote counting has been completed. The artist behind the winning work of the People’s Choice Award will be granted $1,500 in prize money.

Full list of 2022 ICA finalists

Anne Nginyangka Thompson, Pitjantjatjara (SA) – WINNER, Major Acquisitive Prize ($20,000)

Sean Miller, Gamilaroi (NSW) – WINNER, South-East Australian Aboriginal Artist Award ($5,000)

Alfred Lowe, Arrernte (NT)

Alison Milyika Carroll, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Bankstown Koori Elders Group (NSW)

Lorna Morgan Waka-Waka, Darumbal (QLD), Lillian Johnson Waka-Waka, Gubbi Gubbi (QLD), Gloria Peronchik Waka-Waka Gangulu (QLD), Beverley Gilmartin Wiradjuri (NSW), Victoria Woods Wiradjuri (NSW), Margaret Foat, Buandik (SA), Lola Simmons Wailwan (NSW), John Simmons (NSW)

Beth Inkamala Mbitjana, Western Aranda (NT)

Billy Bain, Darug (NSW)

Carlene Thompson, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Debbie Taylor-Worley, Gamilaraay/Gomeroi (NSW)

Elisa Jane Carmichael, Ngugi (QLD)

Elizabeth Dunn, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Hayley Coulthard Panangka, Western Aranda (NT)

Jock Puautjimi, Tiwi (NT)

Megan Croydon, Kuku Yalanji (QLD)

Philip Denham, Girramay (QLD)

Philomena Yeatman, Gunggandji (QLD)

Rupert Jack, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Tjunkaya Tapaya OAM, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Vivian Pingkayi Thompson, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

About the award winners:

Anne Nginyangka Thompson is an emerging artist based at Ernabella Arts in the Pukatja Community (Musgrave Ranges, South Australia). Beginning ceramics in high school, her practice has developed into a meditation on her love for nature. Nginyangka Thompson has previously exhibited in the 2014 Indigenous Ceramic Award (ICA), and was awarded the first prize, with her work being acquired into the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) Collection. Thompson also works in contemporary jewellery and resin; in 2015 her work was featured in the exhibition Jewellery Has Always Been There at the Jam Factory during Tarnanthi Festival in Adelaide.

Sean Miller is a Gamilaroi man living on Wurundjeri Country (Melbourne). He explores his Gamilaroi heritage through ceramics, woodwork, painting, and photography. For Miller, working in clay and wood creates a tangible connection to Country, where his ancestors culturally and artistically shaped the ground and carved trees for ceremony. Miller was a finalist in the 2016 Indigenous Ceramic Award (ICA) and in 2020 he won the Koorie Heritage Trust’s Emerging Artist Award at the 8th Koorie Art Show. His work is held in numerous private and public collections, including the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Melbourne and Shepparton Art Museum (SAM).

ENDS

About SAM:

Media enquiries, please contact: Louise Tremper, Marketing Coordinator, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5026 e: ltremper@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

SAM Studios returns for Term 4 with Rachel Doller

10 October 2022

SAM Studios, our art extension workshop series for senior high school students, returns for Term 4 with local artist Rachel Doller at the helm.

Shepparton Art Museum’s popular after-school educational workshop series will be back for Term 4, running every Tuesday from 4 October to 15 November. This term, Tatura-based award winning artist Rachel Doller, whose work was featured in Shepparton’s inaugural White Night program, will lead students through the series of workshops. SAM Studios (previously known as SAM Scholars) offers art-focused mentoring and assists senior students in developing and gaining new practical art skills under the instruction of practising artists and experienced SAM staff.

Gabriella Calandro, SAM Engagement Manager, says of the program:

“SAM Studios builds on the school curriculum and creates a space where VCE students can access materials and can continue to hone their technique and skill to enhance their abilities, allowing them to grow their folio for final assessment at the end of the year. Mimi’s work has a vibrant, animated style, and she will be an incredible mentor for young people with aspirations in the creative fields. Students will benefit immensely from weekly face-to-face sessions with a practising artist.”

The six-week course, titled How to Draw Badly, will draw from Mimi’s colourful practice to encourage participants to explore their own artistic style and language, enrich their own portfolios and gain industry insight to inform their future pathways. Previous participants in the workshop have gone on to have their works selected in SAM’s annual GV Top Arts exhibition Fresh, which showcases the talent of young artists in the region and provides their first experience in exhibiting in a significant arts institution, creating exposure and recognition. Students who have their works featured in the exhibition are also in contention for a number of prizes; artworks are judged by a selection panel, and by visitors for the People’s Choice Award.

SAM Studios is generously supported by the Victorian Government Department of Education and Training.

ENDS

About the artist:

Rachel Doller’s work echoes personal musings which are reflected in a variety of styles from eye-catching abstract landscapes, expressive still life compositions and geometric assemblages. Using a variety of media including acrylic, cut paper, oil pastel and recycled/found objects, Doller creates pieces that are bold and graphic with colour combinations that are dynamic and engaging.

Inspired by the fact that art is a cultivar of ideas and feelings, Doller’s distinctive visual language is reflective of her everyday; the joy, the fear and the need for change.

Doller has exhibited in numerous group and 3 solo shows over the past 7 years and her work has been collected in Australia and Europe. She exhibited alongside her mum and sister for Shepparton Festival 2022 in their group exhibition 'Pieced together,' and was commissioned to design a light installation for White Night Shepparton 2022. Currently she is working on abstract landscapes and recycled/found object assemblages.

About SAM:

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), located on Yorta Yorta Country, is one of Australia's outstanding regional art museums, showcasing our exhibitions and collections in new and exciting ways and creating a welcoming, inclusive and engaging space for all audiences. Artists are central to our work. Our programming is designed to be locally relevant and engage with global contemporary ideas. SAM is recognised for its significant Australian ceramics collection, and our nationally significant collection of Indigenous art. As the only public art museum in Greater Shepparton and north central Victoria, our mission is to present great art in Shepparton, and to contribute to the cultural enrichment, community engagement and economic prosperity of the region.

Media enquiries, please contact: Louise Tremper, Marketing Coordinator, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5026 e: ltremper@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

Image: Rachel Doller in her studio. Photo by Cam Matheson.

SAM Spring Camp Returns for the School Holidays!

15 September 2022

SAM Spring Camp returns for the school holidays from 19 September, plus a special professional development opportunity for teachers with VCAA’s Dr Kathryn Hendy-Ekers.

Shepparton Art Museum’s popular school holiday program returns, with SAM Spring Camp running from 19- 30 September with a program of arts and crafts activities that will delight kids of all ages and abilities. The workshops span a number of mediums and incorporate a range of materials and practices that will be a mix of familiar and new to encourage young people of all ages to slow down, look closer and get creative outside of the school term.

Gabriella Calandro, SAM Engagement Manager, says of the program:

“SAM Spring Camp gives kids a space to have fun, gain new skills, and make friends while exploring their creative side. From artist-led ceramics sessions to upcycling everyday objects, kids can let their imaginations run wild at SAM these school holidays and gain the confidence to recreate some of the projects back at home.”

Engaging with local creatives, artists and community organisations, SAM Spring Camp showcases the diverse skillsets in regional Victoria. These school holidays, activities will include a series of introductory classes to hand-building ceramics, upcycling craft workshops, and DIY wearable art inspired by the SAM exhibitions.

Bookings are required for all programs, with all activities either free or low-cost. Bookings can be made via the SAM website: https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/whats-on/sam-spring-camp-19-30-september-2022/

The SAM Camp programs are generously supported by the Yulgilbar Foundation.

These school holidays will also see an exciting professional development opportunity for teachers of VCE Studio Arts and Visual Arts. SAM will be joined by Dr. Kathryn Hendy-Ekers (Curriculum Manager – Visual Arts, Communication, Design & Media, VCAA), who will explore the new subjects being introduced in VCE Visual Arts and will offer valuable professional insight into how these subjects can be successfully integrated into the classroom to help students strive for excellence. The session will be free, with bookings essential. Bookings can be made via the SAM website: https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/event/teacher-professional-development-new-areas-of-study-in-vce-visual-arts/

Two new exhibitions to open at SAM

30 August 2022

Two new exhibitions to open at Shepparton Art Museum on Saturday 13 August 2022.

SAM is honoured to present its upcoming temporary exhibition, the 2022 Indigenous Ceramic Award (ICA), where the selected submissions to its prestigious Indigenous Ceramic Award will be unveiled.

Now in its seventh iteration, the 2022 ICA embarked on a nation-wide callout, inviting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and collectives from all over Australia to submit their entries to the prize. From within the strong contention, 19 finalists were shortlisted by the judging panel, which this year consisted of Museums Victoria Senior Curator Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta), leading contemporary artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, and artist and 2018 ICA finalist Penny Evans (Gamilaraay/Gomeroi).

Melinda Martin, SAM CEO, says of the exhibition:

“The works featured in 2022 ICA tell stories of First People’s culture and history through ceramics that span from the traditional to the experimental and are a beautiful celebration of Indigenous ceramic artmaking. Ceramics displays are so embedded within the SAM building, carefully curated to chronicle the diversity of the medium through form and technique – the ICA, with its centring of Indigenous artists currently practising in Australia, brings the practice of Indigenous artists to the fore. Visitors will be awed by the talent and innovation of the artists featured.”

Presented on Yorta Yorta Country, the award provides a national platform to share personal, historical and deep cultural learnings from artists and Country. It celebrates and supports the rich and diverse use of the ceramic medium by Indigenous artists and acknowledges the special industry of ceramic art. There are three major prizes for finalists to secure: The Major Acquisitive Prize of $20,000, South-East Australian Aboriginal Artist Prize of $5,000 and the People’s Choice Award of $1,500.

Belinda Briggs, SAM Indigenous Curator, says:

“We’re really excited to welcome artists, our community, and all visitors here for the ICA in its inaugural showing in our new building. It presents a unique opportunity to engage with new and emerging ceramicists, as well as both nationally and internationally acclaimed ceramicists, in a regional context. There are some really interesting themes and ideas coming through with how artists are using clay to tell stories that are important to all of us.”

Also opening on Saturday 13 August is the SAM Window, which will feature a new vinyl artwork installation created in collaboration with Kaiela Arts and their artists Jack Anselmi (Yorta Yorta), Suzanne Atkinson (Yorta Yorta), Tammy-Lee Atkinson (Yorta Yorta), Frances Nicholson (Yorta Yorta, Wamba Wamba), Eva Ponting (Gunditjmara), and Lyn Thorpe (Yorta Yorta, Wamba Wamba, Woi-wurrung). Kaiela deya, manu nyananan (River here, is home to all of us) highlights the collection of hand-drawn symbols inlaid into the floor in granite and brass, flowing throughout Kaiela Arts into SAM, and explores the individual meanings behind each symbol and the way in which they intersect together to create a strong collective cultural story. The installation can be viewed in the window until 12 March 2023.

A media preview of 2022 ICA will take place on Thursday 11 August at 12.00pm. The formal opening and award ceremony for ICA will be held at SAM on Saturday 8 October 2022, accompanied by a cultural program on 8 and 9 October celebrating the artists and the rich history of ceramics within Aboriginal and First Nations culture.

Announcing the 2022 ICA finalists

Alfred Lowe, Arrernte (NT)

Alison Milyika Carroll, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Anne Thompson, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Bankstown Koori Elders Group (NSW)

Lorna Morgan Waka-Waka, Darumbal (QLD), Lillian Johnson Waka-Waka, Gubbi Gubbi (QLD), Gloria Peronchik Waka-Waka, Gangulu (QLD), Beverley Gilmartin Wiradjuri (NSW), Victoria Woods Wiradjuri (NSW), Margaret Foat, Buandik (SA), Lola Simmons Wailwan (NSW), John Simmons

Beth Inkamala Mbitjana, Western Aranda (NT)

Billy Bain, Darug (NSW)

Carlene Thompson, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Debbie Taylor – Worley, Gamilaraay/Gomeroi (NSW)

Elisa Jane Carmichael, Ngugi (QLD)

Elizabeth Dunn, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Hayley Coulthard Panangka, Western Aranda (NT)

Jock Puautjimi, Tiwi (NT)

Megan Croydon, Kuku Yalanji (QLD)

Philip Denham, Girramay (QLD)

Philomena Yeatman, Gunggandji (QLD)

Rupert Jack, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Sean Miller, Gamilaroi (NSW)

Tjunkaya Tapaya OAM, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Vivian Pingkayi Thompson, Pitjantjatjara (SA)

Highlights of the 2022 ICA

26 artists will exhibit as finalists, plus one feature artist
27 language groups represented
Prizes
- Major Acquisitive Prize $20,000
- South-East Australian Aboriginal Artist Prize $5,000
- People’s Choice Award $1,500

Judging panel: Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta), Museums Victoria Senior Curator; Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, leading contemporary artist; Penny Evans (Gamilaraay/Gomeroi), 2018 ICA finalist

ENDS

About SAM:

Media enquiries, please contact: Louise Tremper, Marketing Coordinator, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5026 e: ltremper@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

VCE art extension workshop series with Mimi Leung

29 August 2022

SAM Studios, our VCE art extension workshop series, returns for Term 3 with local artist Mimi Leung at the helm.

Shepparton Art Museum’s popular after-school educational workshop series will commence for Term 3, running each Wednesday afternoon from 17 August to 21 September. This term, local artist Mimi Leung, whose work was recently projected onto SAM as a major feature of Shepparton’s inaugural White Night program, will lead students through the series of workshops. SAM Studios (previously known as SAM Scholars) offers art-focused mentoring and assists senior students in developing and gaining new practical art skills under the instruction of practising artists and experienced SAM staff.

Gabriella Calandro, SAM Engagement Manager, says of the program:

The SAM Studios sessions are free, with registrations open to all VCE students in the Goulburn Valley region who are currently studying Art, Studio Art or Visual Communication. Bookings can be made via the SAM website: https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/event/sam-studio-term-3/

SAM Studios is generously supported by the Victorian Government Department of Education and Training.

ENDS

About the artist:

Mimi Leung is an artist and illustrator whose playful work weaves together the real and surreal in bright, colourful depictions of imaginative creatures and abstract forms.

Her multidisciplinary practice engages painting, illustration, writing and moving image to tell stories about the world around us. She is interested in big questions about freedom, belonging and meaning, bringing a lens of curiosity to her subjects.

Mimi is represented by The Jacky Winter Group and has exhibited internationally.

About SAM:

Media enquiries, please contact: Louise Tremper, Marketing Coordinator, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5026 e: ltremper@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

A new photography exhibition set to open

29 August 2022

A new photography exhibition is set to open in SAM’s Community Gallery on 17 September 2022.

500 Strong, the groundbreaking project from renowned Australian photographer Ponch Hawkes, is set to open in the Shepparton Art Museum’s (SAM) Community Gallery next month. A bold and playful work, the series of black and white photos celebrates the diversity and reality of the ageing female form, born out of Hawke’s desire to confront the conventions of female behaviour and representation in art and society. In 2018, Hawkes embarked on a mission to photograph 500 Victorian women over age 50. Following a callout across the state to women from all backgrounds, 432 Victorian women volunteered to be photographed in the nude to achieve Hawkes’ vision. Photoshoots were organised in Melbourne, at Hawkes’ studio, and at both Shepparton Art Museum (in its previous Welsford Street location) and Geelong Gallery. Participants could show their faces or consider anonymity and, if they wished, came prepared with a personalised face covering.

Originally presented as part of the exhibition Flesh after Fifty, curated by Jane Scott, and having previously been displayed at Geelong Gallery, 500 Strong now arrives at SAM in celebration and recognition of the contribution made to the project by numerous local women through their participation as subjects.

Artist Ponch Hawkes says of the exhibition:

“It’s an honour and a pleasure to be bringing 500 Strong to the marvellous new Shepparton Art Museum. It will of course include photos of dozens of brave Shepparton women, who joined hundreds more in ripping their clothes off and posing naked in the name of art and feminism.”

On Tuesday 6 September, an evening talk and Q & A session will be held by SAM CEO Melinda Martin and the exhibition's curator, Caroline Esbenshade, to discuss the upcoming exhibition prior to its opening. Members of the community who may wish to learn more about the story behind the exhibition and its relevance to the region, or have questions about the works, are invited to attend. Bookings are encouraged and can be made via the SAM website.

Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Curator – Community, says of the exhibition:

“It’s fantastic to have this opportunity to celebrate the women who took part in this project. Getting your kit off raises vulnerabilities personally, socially and professionally, and these women did it boldly. The portraits that make up the work are not only beautiful and full of personality, but also express a ‘joie de vivre’ that many will find inspiring.”

The official opening of 500 Strong will take place on 17 September at 1.00pm in the Community Gallery, with opening remarks from artist Ponch Hawkes. Ponch Hawkes will also join SAM at the close of the exhibition for a special SAM Talk, where she will appear in conversation with Dr Jacqueline Millner, Associate Professor of Visual Arts, La Trobe University.

500 Strong will be on display until 27 November 2022. The exhibition, and all others at SAM, are free and open to the public. More details can be found on the SAM website: https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/whats-on/upcoming/sam-presents-ponch-hawkes-500-strong/

ENDS

PROGRAMS & OFFICIAL OPENING

SAM Talks: 500 Strong

Tuesday 6 September, 5.30-6.30pm

SAM, Level 4

FREE

Join Melinda Martin, SAM CEO, and Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Curator – Community, for a conversation about upcoming exhibition 500 Strong. The pair will discuss the project’s connection and the significance behind its display in our Community Gallery, followed by a Q & A session. Book your spot here: https://www.trybooking.com/CCDTG

500 Strong: Official Opening

Saturday 17 September, 1.00pm

SAM Community Gallery, Level 2

FREE

Join artist Ponch Hawkes in our Community Gallery for the official opening of 500 Strong. Learn the story behind the creation of the work and its reception since its initial exhibition, and celebrate the local women who participated in this ground-breaking project. Bookings encouraged but not required – book your spot here: https://www.trybooking.com/CCDTM

SAM Talks: Ponch Hawkes and Dr Jacqueline Millner in Conversation

Sunday 27 November, 2.00-3.00pm

SAM, Level 4

FREE

To mark the closing of the show, join artist Ponch Hawkes for an in-depth conversation with Dr Jacqueline Millner (Associate Professor of Visual Arts, La Trobe University). Together, they will delve into the ideas and themes that drive the work and reflect on the erasure of ageing women from visual culture and the negative stereotypes that surround them. Book your spot here: https://www.trybooking.com/CCDTP

About the artist:

Ponch Hawkes is an Australian photographer whose work explores Australia’s cultural and social histories and present. Broad in scope, her work portrays Australians of all backgrounds in her interest in how individuals relate to one another. Her work is frequently bold and humorous, and at other times sweet, capturing moments between individuals and those of self-reflection.

Hawkes' work has been included in numerous major Australian exhibitions such as Know My Name (2021-22) and Melbourne Now (2013) and is held in many significant collections across the country at institutions such as The National Gallery, The National Gallery of Victoria, the Jewish Museum of Australia, The Queensland Art Gallery and more.

About SAM:

Media enquiries, please contact: Louise Tremper, Marketing Coordinator, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5026 e: ltremper@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

ICA 2022: Announcing the finalists

3 August 2022

The finalists of the 2022 Shepparton Art Museum Indigenous Ceramic Award have been selected, with the unveiling of the contending works set for 13 August 2022.

Now in its seventh iteration, the 2022 Indigenous Ceramic Award (ICA) embarked on a nation-wide callout, inviting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and collectives from all over Australia to submit their entries to the prize. From within the strong contention, 26 artists were shortlisted by the judging panel, which this year consisted of Museums Victoria Senior Curator Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta), leading contemporary artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, and artist and 2018 ICA finalist Penny Evans (Gamilaraay/Gomeroi).

Penny Evans said of the award:

“A diverse range of works submitted for the 2022 ICA from a broad range of practices will make for a vibrant and interesting exhibition of contemporary Indigenous ceramics at the new SAM.”

Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran says:

“It’s amazing to see diverse entries this year that reflect dynamic ways clay has been used by First Nations artists around the country. There is a porosity to this medium that lends itself to personal, political and imaginative explorations. Shepparton Art Museum, with its extensive ceramics collection and resources is the perfect context for this award. I can’t wait to see the exhibition and to re-energise ways we think about ceramics.” 

Kimberley Moulton says:

"This national Indigenous art award shares with us the breadth of First Peoples creative practice and new ways of working. It's exciting to see artists that are stepping into ceramics in experimental ways, pushing their practice and materiality, and also artists that are familiar with this medium creating dynamic works that share story and knowledge. It is not only a strong representation of the talent in the nation, but it is significant to see the works in the award at Shepparton Art Museum in dialogue with the expansive ceramics collection of the organisation which is important in profiling the role First Peoples artists have in the national and international discourse of ceramic arts."

Presented on Yorta Yorta Country, the award provides a national platform to share personal, historical and deep cultural learnings from artists and Country. It celebrates and supports the rich and diverse use of the ceramic medium by Indigenous artists and acknowledges the special industry of ceramic art. There are three major prizes for finalists to secure: The Major Acquisitive Prize of $20,000, South-East Australian Aboriginal Artist Prize of $5,000 and the People’s Choice Award of $1,500.

In a further adaptation to its format, the 2022 ICA will see the inclusion of a selected feature artist, who will exhibit a new body of work parallel to the finalists’ works. In addition to sitting on the judging panel, Penny Evans has been commissioned as this year’s feature artist, and will create a site-responsive ceramic work that celebrates Indigenous ceramicists and their long-standing connection to clay.

Belinda Briggs, SAM Indigenous Curator, says:

“The ICA continues to showcase exciting, thoughtful, and deeply considered works from artists just beginning through to those more established, representing a diverse range of communities. It’s also a privilege to have Penny return to the ICA in two capacities as both judge and feature artist. We welcome her extensive experience of over 30 years of practice and knowledge to the Award - we can't wait to see this new body of work inspired by her Gamilaraay/Gomeroi Country in our new gallery.”

The SAM ICA 2022 exhibition will open on Saturday 13 August, and will be on display until 4 December 2022. The official opening and award ceremony will be held at SAM on Saturday 8 October 2022, accompanied by a cultural program on 8 and 9 October celebrating the artists and the rich history of ceramics within Aboriginal and First Nations culture.

Announcing the 2022 ICA finalists

Alfred Lowe, Arrernte (NT)

Alison Milyika Carroll, Pukatja / Pitjantjatjara (NT)

Anne Thompson, Pukatja/ Pitjantjatjara (NT)

Bankstown Koori Elders Group (NSW)

Lorna Morgan Waka-Waka, Darumbal (North Queensland), Lillian Johnson Waka-Waka, Gubbi Gubbi (North Queensland), Gloria Peronchik Waka-Waka Gangulu (North Queensland), Beverley Gilmartin Wiradjuri (NSW), Victoria Woods Wiradjuri (NSW), Margaret Foat, Bowenstick (S.A), Lola Simmons Wailwan (Central NSW), John Simmons Non Aboriginal

Beth Inkamala Mbitjana, Ntaria Western Aranda (NT)

Billy Bain, Darug (NSW)

Carlene Thompson, Pukatja / Pitjantjatjara (NT)

Debbie Taylor – Worley, Gamilaraay/Gomeroi (NSW)

Elisa Jane Carmichael, Ngugi (QLD)

Elizabeth Dunn, Pukatja / Pitjantjatjara (NT)

Hayley Coulthard Panangka, Ntaria Western Aranda (NT)

Jock Puautjimi, Tiwi (NT)

Megan Croydon, Kuku Yalanji (QLD)

Philip Denham, Girramay (QLD)

Philomena Yeatman, Gunggandji (QLD)

Rupert Jack, Pukatja/ Pitjantjatjara (NT)

Sean Miller, Gamilaroi (NSW)

Tjunkaya Tapaya OAM, Pukatja/ Pitjantjatjara (NT)

Vivian Pingkayi Thompson, Pukatja / Pitjantjatjara (NT)

Highlights of the 2022 ICA

27 artists will exhibit as finalists, plus one feature artist
16 language groups represented
Prizes
- Major Acquisitive Prize

$20,000

South-East Australian Aboriginal Artist Prize

$5,000

People’s Choice Award

$1,500

Judging panel: Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta), Museums Victoria Senior Curator; Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, leading contemporary artist; Penny Evans (Gamilaraay/Gomeroi), 2018 ICA finalist

ENDS

About SAM:

Media enquiries, please contact: Louise Tremper, Marketing Coordinator, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5026 e: ltremper@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

Now open: Hans Wolter von Gruenewaldt: Artworks from Prisoner of War Camp 13 Murchison

6 July 2022

The newest community exhibition has now opened at SAM.

The latest in the series of SAM SQUARED exhibitions, Hans Wolter von Gruenewaldt: Artworks from Prisoner of War Camp 13 Murchison opened in the Hugh D. T Williamson Foundation Community Gallery at Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) on 18 June.

Presented in partnership with Murchison & District Historical Society and the Murchison RSL sub-branch, the successful submission to the SAM EOI callout presents an exhibition that examines the visual legacy of German artist Hans Wolter von Gruenewaldt and brings a little-known piece of local history to the museum. A German civilian, Von Gruenewaldt fled from South Africa at the outset of World War II to avoid internment, only to be captured by the British Navy. He then spent the next six and a half years as a Prisoner of War (POW) in country Victoria. A talented artist, Von Gruenewaldt regularly occupied himself by exercising his creativity, eventually attracting the admiration of the camp commandant, who requested Von Gruenewaldt decorate the Garrison Recreation Hut. 17 large murals were created, a selection of which have been included in the exhibition, marking their first foray outside of the Murchison township.

Jessica O’Farrell, SAM Exhibitions Curator, says of the exhibition:

“This exhibition has created an opportunity to showcase a part of our region’s heritage and observe its landscape through the works of Hans Wolter von Gruenewaldt, which have been diligently maintained and safeguarded by both the Murchison & District Historical Society and the Murchison RSL. These artworks give us insight into the reality of daily life in the Murchison Prisoner of War Camp 13 and reveals the impact of international conflict so close to our home.”

On Thursday July 14, an evening talk will be held at SAM that will delve further into the history of both Hans Wolter von Gruenewaldt and POW Camp 13 Murchison, led by Kay Ball, President of the Murchison & District Historical Society and representatives from Murchison RSL. Event details and tickets will be available on the SAM website in the coming days.

Hans Wolter von Gruenewaldt: Artworks from Prisoner of War Camp will be on display until 11 September 2022. The exhibition, and all others at SAM, are free and open to the public. More details can be found on the SAM website: sheppartonartmuseum.com.au.

ENDS

About SAM:

Media enquiries, please contact: Mikela Guseli, Marketing Officer, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5009 e: mguseli@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

Bukjeh comes to SAM

22 June 2022

Join SAM for a special performance of Bukjeh on 18 June 2022.

This Saturday the community is invited to join SAM for a very special performance, titled Bukjeh, led by artist & creator Aseel Tayah. In Arabic, “bukjeh” is the name for a small pack of belongings carried by travellers and refugees. These few objects paint an intimate portrait of their carrier, with each item holding memories and histories of places that were once home. The stories of new and diverse communities are at the heart of Bukjeh, unravelled through the often-meagre objects chosen to carry along on the journey to a new life.

Bukjeh is an interactive installation made accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. Audiences will hear profound and honest accounts of the migrant and refugee experience, told through performances of song, dance, visual imagery, poetry and spoken word. This performance offers a unique opportunity to learn about the journeys of the people who live, work, and grow in our region.

Created by Aseel Tayah in 2018, Bukjeh grew from a one-day activation at the Melbourne Immigration Museum into a touring show that has gone on to be presented dozens of times at sites across Victoria. The aim of Bukjeh is to empower people who might feel uncertain in conversing about the reasons and impacts of global migration because they do not know the ‘right’ questions to ask, or due to fear of saying the ‘wrong thing’.

Gabriella Calandro, SAM Engagement Manager & Acting Artistic Director, says of the program:

“It’s a privilege to be able to bring Bukjeh to SAM. Greater Shepparton has a rich heritage of migration and settlement, which has shaped and distinguished our region. We’re fortunate to have a space at SAM in which new arrivals to our community are welcomed and are helped to feel embedded in the cultural fabric of the town.”

Bukjeh at SAM will take place on 18 June from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. For more event information and to book tickets, visit https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/whats-on/sam-special-events/bukjeh-at-sam/

About the Artist:

Aseel Tayah is a Melbourne-based Palestinian artist, creative director and cultural leader who uses her practice to advocate for artists of colour, mothers, children and young people, changing the world, one project at a time. She has recently been described as “an unstoppable force in the Australian cultural landscape.” Through the power of storytelling, Aseel’s artistic practice creates awareness and facilitates connection by humanising the experiences of people who have been displaced.

ENDS

About SAM:

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), located on Yorta Yorta Country, is one of Australia's outstanding regional art museums, showcasing our exhibitions and collections in new and exciting ways and creating a welcoming, inclusive and engaging space for all audiences. Artists are central to our work. Our programming is designed to be locally relevant and engage with global contemporary ideas. SAM is recognised for its significant Australian ceramics collection, and our nationally significant collection of Indigenous art. As the only public art museum in Greater Shepparton and north central Victoria, our mission is to present great art in Shepparton, and to contribute to the cultural enrichment, community engagement and economic prosperity of the region.

Media enquiries, please contact: Mikela Guseli, Marketing Officer, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5009 e: mguseli@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

New ceramics showcase exhibition and Art Wall mural to open at SAM.

1 June 2022

New ceramics showcase exhibition and Art Wall mural to open at SAM.

The second instalments of the Level 1 showcase and the Furphy Art wall will open at Shepparton Art Museum over the next 7 days.
Drawing from SAM’s expansive ceramics collection, Social Ceramics is an exhibition that celebrates objects that stand at the centre of our shared experiences, with the humble tea set placed firmly in the spotlight. This exhibition offers a playful exploration of functional ceramics, with colourful commercial wares by Bendigo Pottery and bold tea and liquor sets by Guy Boyd and Allan Lowe.

Jessica O’Farrell, SAM Exhibitions Curator, says of the exhibition:
“This ceramics showcase continues the sentiment posed by the previous exhibition, Everyday Australian Design, of celebrating the objects that we use in our daily lives. This show inhabits the space between SAM and its adjoining café. Our hope is that visitors sitting and chatting over a coffee will see pieces from our collection we’ve chosen to highlight and be excited to reflect on the ways these types of ceramic vessels are central to our social interactions and shared conversations.”

On Friday 3 June, the newest artwork to grace the Furphy Family Art Wall on Level 4 at SAM will be unveiled. Artists Trent Walter and Lizzie Boon will collaborate on a joint wall work titled LOVE YOUR MOTHER, inspired by Boon’s observation of the phrase on a placard at a climate rally. With connotations to themes of environment and respect for people and place, the work resides in a fitting location amongst the river red gum treetops that line the Victoria Park Lake.

The community is encouraged to experience both exhibitions this Friday 3 June from 4pm during SAM Sounds, a SAM event presenting an immersive museum music experience. All exhibitions, and SAM Sounds, are free and open to the public. More details can be found on the SAM website: sheppartonartmuseum.com.au.

About Trent Walter:
Trent Walter is a Melbourne based printmaker and writer. In 2009, he established Negative Press, a fine art custom printmaking workshop focusing on etching and silkscreen techniques. Recent projects include a multiple panel silkscreen portrait of Professor Marcia Langton by Brook Andrew, commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, and two interdisciplinary works involving etching, silkscreen, and collage elements by Sally Smart, published by Port Jackson Press Australia.

About Lizzie Boon:
Lizzie Boon is an emerging artist, writer and archivist based in Melbourne. Her practice often engages with experimental writing and alternate publishing as a space for expanded perceptual translation, explication, and distribution. Lizzie received a Bachelor of Art History and Curating in 2018. She is currently the registrar and curatorial assistant at Negative Press. Here, she has been archiving the prints of Australian artist John Nixon.

ENDS

About SAM:
Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), located on Yorta Yorta Country, is one of Australia's outstanding regional art museums, showcasing our exhibitions and collections in new and exciting ways and creating a welcoming, inclusive, and engaging space for all audiences. Artists are central to our work. Our programming is designed to be locally relevant and engage with global contemporary ideas. SAM is recognised for its significant Australian ceramics collection, and our nationally significant collection of Indigenous art. As the only public art museum in Greater Shepparton and north central Victoria, our mission is to present great art in Shepparton, and to contribute to the cultural enrichment, community engagement and economic prosperity of the region.

Media enquiries, please contact: Mikela Guseli, Marketing Officer, SAM
p: (03) 4804 5009 e: mguseli@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

Coming June 3: SAM Sounds & SAM after Sunset

20 May 2022

Two exciting live music events to take over the SAM building on 3 June

On Friday 3 June, SAM will throw open its doors for a back-to-back sonic feast. From 4pm to 7pm, SAM presents SAM Sounds - a free, all-ages community event bringing live music to spaces across the SAM building. The evening will be capped off by SAM After Sunset from 7pm to late - a ticketed 18+ event at the Level 4 terrace bar.

SAM Sounds is a one-off, exclusive event featuring the local musical artistry of Sara Retallick, Minyerra and Nicole Thorne Trio as they interpret and respond to the art across SAM. Visitors of all ages will be awed at the sensory experience, with music intermingling with stunning visual art to bring the building to life.

Of SAM Sounds, Gabriella Calandro, SAM Engagement Manager, says:

“This event presents the perfect opportunity for the community who are yet to visit SAM to make the trip after work and school and enjoy this fantastic space in Shepparton. SAM Sounds creates a new and exciting way to experience the SAM Building and exhibitions, set to the musical interpretation of some of our regions’ most celebrated and talented musicians.”

Following on at 7pm, SAM After Sunset takes the party upstairs to level 4 for the finale to our incredibly popular sunset series. The ticketed 18+ event features the musical talents of local favourites Sam + Sam and Braden Pullen, with canapés and three drinks per ticket holder to enjoy under the stars. A cash bar will also be available.

Gabriella Calandro, SAM Engagement Manager, says:

“SAM After Sunset is a wonderful way to conclude our incredibly popular summer series SAM at Sunset. The evening event is an opportunity to gather with friends and experience one of Shepparton's most unique venues while listening to great live music! Tickets are limited so we recommend booking your ticket as soon as possible to avoid disappointment!”

SAM Café and SAM Shop will remain open for late night trade, a light dinner or last-minute purchase.

SAM Sounds is a FREE event, but registrations are recommended.

Time: 4pm – 7pm

Date: Friday 3 June 2022

Please register attendance at https://www.trybooking.com/BZNLI

SAM After Sunset – 18+ only

Time: 7pm – 10.30pm

Date: Friday 3 June 2022

Tickets: $65 includes 3 drinks and canapes (cash bar available)

To book tickets to SAM After Sunset visit https://www.trybooking.com/BZJFO

SAM Sounds and SAM After Sunset are part of On the Road Again, a Victorian Government initiative to bring live music back across the state.

About the musicians performing at SAM Sounds:

Sara Retallick

Sara Retallick is an artist, musician and educator living / working on Wurundjeri Country in Naarm. Retallick’s current research-based practice is concerned with making underwater sound installations and expanding listening possibilities through material-based investigations. Her work encompasses sound, digital media, composition, and object-based practices to create unique listening encounters.

Nationally, Sara has presented works most recently at MPavillion (2022), RISING Festival (2021), Blindside Gallery (2021), and UNSW Gallery in Sydney (2019). As well as international presentations at Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid (2020), and at I.S.E.A. in Durban, South Africa (2018).

Sara also performs live using electronics, voice and instruments in an exploratory project that spans soundscape, noise, sound collage, pop music and improvisation. Previously called Golden Syrup, Sara first performed this live project at MONA’s annual winter festival Dark MOFO in 2016 with debut album being released through Nice Music Label in February 2018.

Minyerra

Minyerra is Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wiradjuri artist Neil Morris aka DRMNGNOW.

Under the DRMNGNOW project, Morris has supported the likes of Mulatu Astatke, Dead Prez, and Akala, performed at SXSW and toured Canada in 2019 performing at Imaginative Festival in Tkaronto, Headlined the International Hip Hop Awards in 2021 also taking out single of the year award for the emphatic 'Survive' and has recently sold out the Sydney Opera House event, Yarning Country.

His work as Minyerra expands into areas of sound design through analogue synthesis and singing in Yorta Yorta language under his project Minyerra where he has performed sets at Melbourne Music Week and Melbourne Festival, and designed sound for shows for stage for Melbourne Fringe and developed work for film also including the upcoming Yurri Wala Woka project through Kaiela Arts.

Nicole Thorne Trio

The Nicole Thorne Trio is one of Victoria's most celebrated modern jazz groups. The trio have a sophisticated, beautiful, impressionistic approach to playing standards. Every performance is fresh and spirited, providing spontaneous improvisation and communication between members of the group which makes great entertainment and listening for audiences.

About the musicians performing at SAM After Sunset:

Sam + Sam

Performing together as a duo for 20 years, Sam + Sam have lived a life dedicated to music and performance.

Fronting various band line-ups, you can typically see Sam + Sam playing an energetic Sunday session, a festival stage, or a large corporate function with their big band. Sound and tech nerds through and through, and whatever they earn seems to go straight back into their music in pursuit of that perfect sound.

Performing over 160 shows annually, Sam + Sam regularly ﬂy interstate and internationally to perform at all types of corporate, private, and public events, and wherever they can - make a working holiday out of the places they visit.

Sharing the stage with the likes of Jon Stevens, The Veronicas, Daryl Braithwaite, Thirsty Merc and Olivia Newton John, Sam + Sam always aim to grab the audience’s attention and create a fun and energised atmosphere.

You may also have seen Sam Ludeman on your TV screen either on The Voice working with superstar coach Seal, acting in City Homicide or on feature ﬁlm Spirit of the Game. Ludeman has also toured extensively with professional musicals, stepping on stage playing major roles in Grease, Fame, Xanadu, amongst others.

In 2020 Sam + Sam began releasing their highly anticipated original music into the world to overwhelming positive feedback and success. Their ﬁrst three song releases each reached #1 in their iTunes genre, and their second release My Friend reached #1 overall in the iTunes Charts in Australia. Sam + Sam continue to write and record and are currently working on their debut album Evolve, set for release in early 2022.

When the global pandemic rocked the world Sam + Sam quickly pivoted to bring high- quality live-streamed entertainment into everybody’s lounge rooms on Friday and Saturday nights. The live stream quickly gained popularity with hundreds of thousands of people from around the world tuning in each week and to date the series has reached more than 5 million viewers.

Sam + Sam are currently touring with their latest show ‘Homebound’ focusing on Aussie music.

Braden Pullen

Braden Pullen draws from a vast range of influences to create layers of sound. This will be his first performance at SAM which will include a mix of electronic and acoustic instruments connected with a mind-bending visual display.

ENDS

About SAM:

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), located on Yorta Yorta country, is one of Australia's outstanding regional art museums, showcasing our exhibitions and collections in new and exciting ways and creating a welcoming, inclusive, and engaging space for all audiences. Artists are central to our work. Our programming is designed to be locally relevant and engage with global contemporary ideas. SAM is recognised for its significant Australian ceramics collection, and our nationally significant collection of Indigenous art. As the only public art museum in Greater Shepparton and north central Victoria, our mission is to present great art in Shepparton, and to contribute to the cultural enrichment, community engagement and economic prosperity of the region.

Media enquiries, please contact: Mikela Guseli, Marketing Officer, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5009 e: mguseli@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

SAM announces appointment of new CEO

17 May 2022

SAM is pleased to announce the appointment of Melinda Martin as its new CEO, who will commence in the role on 11 July 2022.

Following a rigorous recruitment process by the SAM Ltd Board, Melinda Martin joins the SAM team with outstanding credentials, having spent the past 10 years as CEO & Director of Linden New Art in St Kilda. Melinda succeeds Dr Rebecca Coates, who finished at SAM in December 2021 after 7 years heading the museum.

Bringing with her a wealth of knowledge earned from over 20 years working in arts management, Melinda is passionate about connecting audiences to the work of leading contemporary artists and creating conversations that encourage new ways of thinking and understanding the world we live in. Prior to joining Linden, Melinda was the Manager of National Programs and Services at Creative Partnerships Australia (formerly Australia Business Arts Foundation) and oversaw their professional development and philanthropic programs.

Melinda has also worked as the Gallery Manager at Anna Schwartz Gallery, Program Manager at Monash Gallery of Art, Studio Manager for Australian artist John Young and research assistant to Dr Chris McAuliffe at the University of Melbourne. She holds a Master of Fine Art & Cinema Studies from The University of Melbourne, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from Deakin University and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Fine Art and Criminology from the University of Melbourne. Melinda has been a member of the Public Galleries Association of Victoria's Board from 2013 to 2018, serving as Vice President of the Board from 2014 to 2016, and previously chaired their fundraising sub-committee from 2017 to 2018. Melinda is excited to move to Shepparton and work with the SAM Ltd Board, team and community to provide thrilling and enriching arts and cultural experiences to the region.

Melinda says of her appointment:

"I am looking forward to working with the talented team at SAM to develop some exciting new exhibitions and programs to encourage everyone to engage with the museum. From programs for children and their families, and important programs for the local Aboriginal, multicultural and multi-lingual community - I’m looking forward to leading a fabulous new museum and bringing it to life for all to enjoy.”

The SAM Ltd Board engaged the services of Slade Group to ensure a robust recruitment process was run in identifying the new leader of SAM. Since reopening, the museum has attracted much interest and acclaim both for its artistic program and its architectural excellence. Stephen Merrylees, Chair of the SAM Ltd Board, says of the appointment:

“SAM Ltd is honoured to welcome Melinda to the role of CEO, who we know will be an excellent fit for the organisation. We were pleased to have overseen a very competitive recruitment process, with many applicants from all over Australia expressing their interest. To have attracted someone of Melinda’s calibre speaks volumes of the reputation SAM has earned for itself. We are confident that Melinda will continue to build SAM’s legacy to the arts scene in the region.”

Melinda rounds off a decade at Linden New Art with a fond farewell. Paul Duldig, Chair of the Linden New Art Board, says of Melinda’s departure:

“The Board of Linden congratulates Melinda on her new role. Melinda leaves an exceptional legacy at Linden after ten years as CEO/Director, and will be sorely missed. We wish her the very best.”

Melinda joins SAM at an exciting stage in its development, with the museum having redefined the artistic and cultural landscape in Greater Shepparton and cementing itself as a major tourism drawcard, and has become an industry leader for its model of governance structure. She looks forward to immersing herself in the community and employing her learnings at SAM to ensure an experience that reflects the rich culture of the region.

Melinda will commence her role as CEO of SAM on Monday 11 July.

ENDS

About SAM:

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is one of Australia's outstanding regional art museums, showcasing our exhibitions and collections in new and exciting ways and creating a welcoming, inclusive and engaging space for all audiences. Artists are central to our work. Our programming is designed to be locally relevant and engage with global contemporary ideas. SAM is recognised for its significant Australian ceramics collection, and our nationally significant collection of Indigenous art. As the only public art museum in Greater Shepparton and north central Victoria, our mission is to present great art in Shepparton, and to contribute to the cultural enrichment, community engagement and economic prosperity of the region.

Media enquiries, please contact: Mikela Guseli, Marketing Officer, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5009 e: mguseli@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

Opening 14 May: Liquidarium

13 May 2022

New exhibition in SAM Children's Gallery, Vera Möller's Liquidarium is set to open this Saturday 14 May 2022.

SAM is pleased to present Liquidarium, 2022, a new artwork commission in the Children’s Gallery by artist Vera Möller. Liquidarium, an installation environment combining collage and sculpture, draws inspiration from the vibrant ecology of the wetlands of the Goulburn Valley.

In her exhibition, Möller has brought to life a fantastical freshwater landscape. Children are invited to experience a wetland imagined from the point of view of a small frog, living amongst the exaggerated plant forms that have been dramatically increased in size by the artist. Large-scale collages and hundreds of smaller, plant-like sculptures in weird and wonderful colours and patterns will inhabit the space to create an experience that will get the imagination of young minds running wild.

Möller is motivated by a fascination with the slippery boundaries between the real and the imagined in the natural world. Her inspiration for this exhibition was found on field trips into the freshwater environments of Victoria Park Lake and the Goulburn River, situated on the doorstep of SAM. Möller's “fantasy specimens”, constructed from recycled magazines and modelling clay, are the results of her science background and art practice merging through creative studio experiments.

Jessica O’Farrell, SAM Exhibitions Curator, says of the show:

“Vera has created a space for kids to step into and experience a wetland from the unique perspective of a frog. The Liquidarium environment is a complete 3D fantasy world, but it is reminiscent of the dioramas you would typically find in Natural History Museums. This exhibition encourages children and adults alike to be curious, triggers our imagination of what lives in a natural ecosystem and prompts us venture into the freshwater environments that lay just outside SAM.”

The community will also have the opportunity to contribute to the exhibition, with hands-on workshops being conducted in the space through the duration of the show. Kids and the young at heart are invited to go wild with their imagination and create their own Liquidarium-inspired flora and fauna display. The workshops will run as an all day, drop-in opportunity once a month for the duration of the show, beginning on Sunday 29 May from 11am. The activities are open to visitors of all ages, with all materials supplied by SAM. The dates of the workshops will be published on the SAM website and social media channels.

Vera Möller’s Liquidarium will open on Saturday 14 May 2022 and will run until 30 October 2022.

About Vera Möller:
Vera Möller (b. 1955, Breman, Germany; lives and works Naarm/Melbourne) studied Biology, Microbiology and Theology in Wurzburg and Munich before immigrating to Australia in 1986. After moving to Australia she completed a Bachelor of Fine Art at the Victorian College of the Arts and a PhD at Monash University. Her work has been exhibited in the USA, Japan, Finland, France, Germany and the UK, as well as throughout Australia.

Drop-in programs for kids at SAM – May, June and July – no bookings required:
Sunday 29 May 11am to 3pm Monday 20 June 11am to 3pm
Tuesday 19 July 11am to 3pm
More dates to be announced soon.

ENDS

About SAM:
Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is one of Australia's outstanding regional art museums, showcasing our exhibitions and collections in new and exciting ways and creating a welcoming, inclusive and engaging space for all audiences. Artists are central to our work. Our programming is designed to be locally relevant and engage with global contemporary ideas. SAM is recognised for its significant Australian ceramics collection, and our nationally significant collection of Indigenous art. As the only public art museum in Greater Shepparton and north central Victoria, our mission is to present great art in Shepparton, and to contribute to the cultural enrichment, community engagement and economic prosperity of the region.

Media enquiries, please contact: Mikela Guseli, Marketing Officer, SAM
p: (03) 4804 5009 e: mguseli@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

Traditional Owners Acknowledgement.