Manly Art Gallery and Museum – Summer 2015-2016 Exhibitions and Events:
Destination Sydney and Out of Quarantine
Destination Sydney
The work of nine celebrated Australian artists will present across three of Sydney’s leading Public Galleries this summer in a unique cross collaboration exhibition titled Destination Sydney.
Manly Art Gallery & Museum, the Mosman Art Gallery and National Trust S.H. Ervin Gallery have united in partnership with respected curator Lou Klepac OAM, to bring together more than 140 artworks that capture the spirit of Sydney in an explosion of colour and paint.
The iconic work of Lloyd Rees, Brett Whiteley and Elisabeth Cummings will feature at Manly Art Gallery & Museum.
Living art legends John Olsen, Kevin Connor and Peter Kingston will present at Mosman Art Gallery and the grace and vitality of Margaret Preston, Grace Crossington Smith and Cressida Campbell will be showcased at S.H. Ervin Gallery.
Sydney is centre stage here, with its rhythms and diversions framing the artists’ work.
By nature of its unique topography and quality of light, urban development and unspoiled harbour surrounds, vibrant social and cultural life, Sydney has long been a mecca for artists and an enduring subject in the history of Australian art.
The beauty of the city’s bush harbour foreshores, the quality of light and palpable sense of energy and movement within the city has provided many artists an ongoing inspiration and a wealth of rich source materials from which to draw.
Each of the artists selected for this exhibition has been influenced by their experiences of living and working in Sydney that the city and its harbour have become central themes within their artistic production.
Some of the artists selected were born in Sydney, but found that the city's pictorial and poetic possibilities inspired them only after a long stint travelling abroad.
By featuring three artists in each venue, the exhibitions will together provide a stimulating experience for viewers - a visual and poetic celebration of this great city, not only as subjects, but capturing the magical spirit that is contained in this unique city.
The exhibitions will include an active program of activities including poetry readings, lectures, artist talks, visits to specific locations, in which to focus attention on the work of these painters, and equally to remind them of the beauty and exhilarating atmosphere of Sydney.
The artworks will be drawn from major public and private collections and as such, visitors will encounter major works by these distinguished artists, as well some unusual and the unexpected pieces.
Manly Art Gallery & Museum will host Destination Sydney from 5 December 2015 to 14 February 2016
Manly Art Gallery & Museum I West Esplanade, Manly NSW 2095
10am - 5pm Tuesday - Sunday I Entry Free
RENOWNED ARTISTS feature in unique cultural events program
Dedicated art lovers have a unique opportunity to benefit from the experience and insights of one of Australia’s most renowned artists and art educators, Elisabeth Cummings, as part of an unprecedented series of exhibitions, workshops, masterclasses and public programs.
The work of nine celebrated Australian artists will feature in three of Sydney’s leading public galleries this summer in a unique cross collaboration exhibition titled Destination Sydney.
Manly Art Gallery & Museum, the Mosman Art Gallery and National Trust S.H. Ervin Gallery have united in partnership with respected curator Lou Klepac OAM, to bring together more than 140 artworks that capture the spirit of Sydney in an explosion of colour and paint.
Manly Art Gallery & Museum programs include:
Great Wall of Manly: Cade Turner Artist’s Talk - Sunday 13 December, 3pm
Northern Beaches artist Cade Turner responds to the paintings in Destination Sydney by creating a new photographic installation on The Great Wall of Manly in the Gallery’s forecourt on West Esplanade
RSVP: artgallery@manly.nsw.gov.au or 9976 1421 Free.
Master Class: Elisabeth Cummings - Monday 18 January, 10am – 2pm
Experienced artists are invited to join renowned contemporary artist and educator, Elisabeth Cummings for a special workshop aimed at encouraging artists to look afresh upon Manly’s natural environment through the use of line and colour, and using drawing/pastel/ paint.
Strictly limited numbers.
Cost: $60 (refreshments served). BYO materials and paper.
Registration: 9976 1418 or katherine.roberts@manly.nsw.gov.au
Right: Katherine Roberts - Manly Art Gallery and Museum
Curator’s Talk: Sunday 31 January, 3 – 4pm
Join curator Lou Klepac on a walk through the exhibition as he shares his stories about the three artists and their works.
Cost: $5, free for MAG&M Society members (refreshments served)
RSVP: artgallery@manly.nsw.gov.au or 9976 1421
MAG&M Society Bus Tour: Tuesday 2 February, 9.30am – 3pm
Members and their friends are invited for a special tour to visit the three galleries to view this one exhibition! Starting at Manly Art Gallery & Museum, we will go by bus to Mosman Art Gallery then S.H.Ervin Gallery, and back to Manly. The tour includes morning tea at Manly and a picnic lunch at Observatory Hill overlooking Sydney Harbour.
Cost: $35 Members or $40 Non-Members (includes morning tea, lunch and tour)
Bookings essential: artgallery@manly.nsw.gov.au or 9976 1421
Workshop: Collaborations with Nature: Sunday 7 February, 9:30am – 4:30pm
Artist Shona Wilson presents a one day ephemeral art workshop, connecting artists with nature on the shores of Sydney Harbour.
Shona provides a framework of ideas and an inspiring environment for learning new ways to access creativity anywhere.
Participants are guided through a comprehensive presentation, preliminary fieldwork exercises and individual sculptures using materials and elements found on site.
The workshop is by application only and has strictly limited numbers.
Location: Little Manly Point
Cost: $60 (BYO morning tea, lunch and water)
Registration: 9976 1418 or katherine.roberts@manly.nsw.gov.au
These programs are supported by the D.I.G. (Dream. Inspire. Grow) Manly Sustainability Program at Manly Council.
Manly Art Gallery & Museum is hosting Destination Sydney from 5 December 2015 to 14 February 2016.
Entry to Manly Art Gallery & Museum is free and open 10am - 5pm Tuesday - Sunday
Manly Art Gallery & Museum is at West Esplanade, Manly NSW 2095
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'OUT OF QUARANTINE' exhibition explores ‘quarantine, migration and place’
An exhibition of artworks exploring the ideas of ‘quarantine, migration and place’, presented by Manly Art Gallery & Museum in partnership with Q Station Sydney Harbour National Park Manly will be open to the public from Saturday 5 December 2015 until 19 June 2016.
Titled ‘Out of Quarantine’, the exhibition features four contemporary Australian artists drawing inspiration from the Q Station site which was for over 140 years, the location of the Quarantine Station on Sydney’s North Head. It was used to house newly arrived immigrants, earning it an important place in the history of Australia.
The last ship to be quarantined there was the Nikki Maru in 1972. The Quarantine Station has since been used for emergency housing - in 1974 for refugees from Cyclone Tracey in Darwin, in 1975 for Vietnamese orphans and as a detention centre. In 1984, the Quarantine Station became part of the Sydney Harbour National Park under the management of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and is now run as Q Station, a hotel as well as a conference and events centre.
‘Out of Quarantine’ draws on Q Station’s rich history and extensive archive to inspire new works by artists Julie Bartholomew (ceramics), Izabela Pluta (installation), Mandy Pryse Jones (painting) and Ben Rak (printmaking).
Mandy Pryse Jones, Portholes to North Head, 2015, acrylic on ply
“I am interested in the landscape at Q Station and how it shows traces of its past as well as the ever-changing nature of the site,” says Izabela Pluta. Izabela was born in Warsaw, Poland, and migrated to Australia in 1987 where she completed her undergraduate studies in Fine Art. She has been exhibited widely both in Australia and overseas.
“My practice examines the various ways that place is manifested or experienced, considering both a physical place of belonging, existing within a cultural framework, and space.”
Ben Rak’s print-work ‘No Way (Manly/Manus)’ compares attitudes towards immigrants and refugees in the past and the present.
“In the Australian cultural identity, beaches hold a special place: not only is a beach a site of arrival, but it is also a location that epitomises the Australian lifestyle of leisure and embodies Australia’s reputation as the ‘Lucky Country,’ a reputation that has drawn both immigrants and refugees looking for a better life,” said Ben.
Out of Quarantine was curated by Manly Art Gallery & Museum’s Katherine Roberts in collaboration with Q Station’s Rebecca Anderson (Curator and Collections Manager) and Julie Regalado(Education Program Manager).
Manly Art Gallery & Museum programs include:
MAG&M Society Morning Tea @ The Q Station
Members and their friends are invited for a tour of the fascinating wharf and hospital precincts at Q Station to experience the creative inspiration behind the artists’ works in the exhibition at Manly Art Gallery & Museum. The tour is followed by morning tea overlooking Sydney Harbour.
When: Sunday 28 February 2016, 9.30am – 12pm
Cost: $30 Members or $35 Non-Members (includes morning tea and tour)
Transport: Park at the entrance on Scenic Drive and be transported by minibus to the Q Station wharf for 10am start.
Bookings essential: artgallery@manly.nsw.gov.au or 02 9976 1421
Artists in conversation and history talk
Julie Regalado, Education Program Manager, Q Station, gives an insightful talk about the history of Q Station. Katherine Roberts then leads an ‘in conversation’ with the artists about how they responded to the unique site to create their artworks.
When: Sunday 6 March 2016, 3 - 4pm
Where: Manly Art Gallery & Museum
Kids’ Art Adventures School Holiday Creative Workshop
Led by artist, educator and co-creator of BIG Kids Magazine, Lilly Blue, children go on a unique tour of Q Station to explore what it would have been like to experience quarantining as a migrant. Create initial responses on site and have lunch, then travel by Eco Hopper to Manly Art Gallery & Museum to see Out of Quarantine, to respond creatively and become immersed in artmaking with Bravery, Imagination and Generosity!
Meet: Q Station reception, 1 North Head Scenic Drive, Manly at 9am
Pick-up: Manly Art Gallery & Museum, West Esplanade Reserve, Manly at 3pm
When: Monday 18 January 2016, 9am – 3pm
Cost: $60, BYO morning tea, lunch and water
Bookings essential via artgallery@manly.nsw.gov.au or 02 9976 1421. Ages 7 – 12 years.
Artist Workshops
Painting, drawing and printmaking workshops will be held for artists and school groups. Contact Julie Regalado for further details, phone 02 9466 1566 or email H8773-CR3@accor.com.
Venue details: Manly Art Gallery & Museum, West Esplanade, Manly
Exhibition dates: 5 December 2015 – 19 June 2016
Open: 10am - 5pm Tues- Sun. Entry: Free