PENRITH Regional Gallery, Home of The Lewers Bequest launches its Winter Suite of exhibitions on Saturday 22 July, with newly commissioned artworks and a curated selection from its collection by artists Leanne Tobin, Halinka Orszulok, and Anjum Olmo. Together, these exhibitions invite audiences to consider the ever-changing relationship between people and place.
Dharug artist Leanne Tobin has curated the latest edition of From the Collection, featuring works by Leading Aboriginal artists, including The Door (Bungaree’s Dilemma), a recent donation by Tobin as part of NAIDOC week and the first work by a Dharug artist to be acquired by the Gallery. These works respond to the Indigenous idea of Ngurra, or home, and speak to the traditional and contemporary storylines of lived Aboriginal experiences from across the country. The exhibition also includes works by Brook Andrew, Blak Douglas and Tracey Moffatt.
Penrith Regional Gallery Director, Toby Chapman says, Leanne Tobin is one of the most original artistic voices working today, using her artmaking as a catalyst for conversations about the history of Australia. We are privileged to have Leanne working with and for our community, and we are thrilled to accept her generous donation of the work, The Door (Bungaree’s Dilemma). This is the first work by a Dhaurg artist to be acquired by Penrith Regional Gallery, and we look forward to sharing it with our audiences.
In Lewers House gallery space, Halinka Orszulok presents The Great Divide, a group of photo-realistic paintings, video and installation that delve into the history of Newnes NSW, and the role it played in the mining of coal in the 19th Century.
Curator, Nina Stromqvist says, The exhibition considers a time when underground resources promised wealth and prosperity. The haunting scenes that Orszulok creates capture the collective memory of these places.
Silk Highways is a new exhibition by local Blue Mountains artist, Anjum Olmo, who is renowned for her meditative landscapes that consider the relationship between physical and emotional states. With this exhibition, Olmo looks inwards and explores her own cultural identity through the archival uncovering and reworking of salvaged clothing and materials from her family collection.
Curator Nina Stromqvist says, Born in Sydney to an Indian-Fijian mother and Pakistani father, Silk Highways explores the stories and memories that are embedded in the textiles that we hold close to our own bodies.
All exhibitions are free and open on Saturday 22 July, 2pm – 4pm
From the Collection: Leanne Tobin, Ancher House, 22 July – 3 September, www.penrithregionalgallery.com.au/events/from-the-collection-leanne-tobin/
Halinka Orszulok: The Great Divide, Lewers House, 22 July – 10 December www.penrithregionalgallery.com.au/events/halinka-orszulok-the-great-divide/
Anjum Olmo: Silk Highways, Loungeroom Gallery, 22 July – 3 September www.penrithregionalgallery.com.au/events/anjum-olmo-silk-highways/
Join the artists for a roving tour as they share the processes and ideas behind their exhibitions from 1pm – 1.50pm on 22 July. Tickets are free, bookings essential: www.penrithregionalgallery.com.au/events/spotlight-artist-talks/
