An ‘Equinox’ is an astronomical event, which by definition is best described when the earth’s equator aligns with the centre of the sun. It results in the revolving Earth producing a ‘night’ and ‘day’ duration of almost equal length. Equinox’s only occurs twice a year in the months of March and September.
Last year in September the Art Exchange (BHAE) launched the opening of its ‘Prelude’ to the Broken Hill Biennale of Art – The Desert Equinox Solar Art Prize. This year BHAE embarks on the culminating prize exhibition commencing on 18th March 2016.Broken Hill has proven to be a formidable environment for such an event. This is mainly due to its arid landscape and geographical location. In keeping with the equinox theme (i.e. equal day and night) Broken Hill can be seen to have as many assets as it has deficits. On the one hand Broken Hill today hosts one of the largest Solar Plants, located five kilometres southwest of the city. It embraces renewable energy on a massive scale. On the other hand, the region’s economy reflects a steady decline in the mining industry and there are challenging issues regarding water security, effecting Broken Hill’s future prosperity. Environmentally the city is a crucible, representative of climatic change in Australia. The city embodies the essence of something, of which is yet unknown or identifiable. One observational comment by Artist in Residence Anna Macleod (Ireland) during her visit to Broken Hill in 2015 was that its people possess an extraordinary resilience, yet required is a focus for that resilience to find its identity and be able to cope in an ever changing global landscape.
As Australia’s first heritage city, Broken Hill’s Prelude will touch on the public and private aspects of this major development as an issue of universal discussion. The Prelude will engage the elemental forces, which are the timeless elements of Nature itself against culturally formative industrial philosophies, whose global spread has affected the planet heavily during the modern era. The first stage of the Desert Equinox focuses on aspects of ‘Solar’ leading onto the ancient elements of Earth, Water and Air. These elements often referred to as the fundamental elements of life follow a trajectory for the city to uncover something of its ‘Quintessential’ reason for being. Throughout this Prelude the city’s people, both local and visiting creative’s, embark on a process of discovery through art. This exhibition is a microcosm of the post industrial era. In this way the Art Exchange aims to go beyond the prelude to the future Broken Hill Biennale of Art, exploring the purest expression of Broken Hill and the world and the very ‘quintessence’ of our – selves in the universe.
Peter McGlinchey, Artist and President
Susan Thomas, Artistic Director and Founder
Broken Hill Art Exchange
Visiting Guest Artist
Environmental Research Initiative for Art
(ERIA) UNSW
The Lodge Outback Motel, 252 Mica Street
The work speaks of land formations in time, the shifting and transitioning nature of the earth, and the changing patterns it forms. As our idea is to create an imaginative response to the environment within the landscape of the reserve, Archipelago becomes a distorted parable referring to the imagined future of the landscape. The islands of the archipelago have metamorphosed as the lands of earth have been committed to the sky, and are now a post-apocalyptic means of propagation after the earth has been committed to the sky. They are a sea of glowing islands, appearing during the night to disperse seeds to the new world.
Mitchell Thomas is currently undertaking a BFA (Hons) at UNSW Art & Design, majoring in Sculpture/Performance and Installation studio. Previous exhibitions include: Finalist with ‘Between Places’ in ROGAP Rockdale, Tempest, Tick (A&D Space), Fluid (Cypher Gallery), VEX (AirSpace Projects) and Waitlisted (Create or Die). Recently Mitchell exhibited in Hidden at Rockwood Cemetery for which his installation ‘Refraction’ received a commendation. Mitchell is also one half of the collective Sloppy Joe with Rachel Levine. Together they exhibited at the NOX night time sculpture walk in Randwick. Sloppy Joe seeks to obscure the everyday observation and works primarily in the realm of Sculptural Out-of-Placements.
LOCATION: Broken Hill Town Façade, 256 Argent Street and roaming events around Broken Hill
TITLE: Landmark: Broken Hill
ARTFORM: Performance, Video and photographic documentation, sculptural object.
MEDIUM: Metal, Wood, cotton
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: Variable 2 Framed works: 70cm x 89cm and 70cmx45cm Projection: 2m x 2.5m. Sculptural Object: 1m cubed, Projection: 2m x 2.5m, Sculptural: 1m cubed approximately.
CATEGORY: Public Category
During a residency at the Broken Hill Art Exchange in September 2015 I devised a durational performance artwork that embodied my nomadic art practice, exhibited in the public sphere. “Landmark: Broken Hill” is a body of work heavily informed by the natural processes of time, daylight and the movement of the sun. Coinciding with the Spring Equinox on September 23, I mapped the suns “solar Arch” by the simple process of following my shadow. Commencing at the northern border of the city at sunrise (5:52 am), my walking route formulated a large west-facing arch spanning around the entire breadth of Broken Hill, concluding at the southern end at sunset (5:52 pm). The 12-kilometre walk produced a kind of intangible “landmark’, referencing the endurance works of Richard Long and the nomadic trait to ‘leave no trace’. In essence, the walk generated a continuous line drawing (or intangible ‘landmark), mapping my ambulation through the outskirts of Broken Hill, made visible only via a GPS tracking device. A satellite image displays the path created over the day long walk. A text accompanies the map, outlining key details, times and experiences of the process-driven artwork.
‘Landmark: Broken Hill’, enters into a dialogue concerning the cities’ shifting cultural landscape over recent decades, from mining (a once thriving industry), to more creative pursuits and tourism. Over the duration of the walk, I pushed a small trolley- a simple assemblage combining a food-packaging crate attached to a pram frame sourced from a recycling yard. In the crate, I collected hundreds of samples of the dirt and soil, known for containing high levels of lead and other minerals. As I ventured through the quiet suburban streets continually adding to the stockpile of rocks and earth, it began to form into a “miniature hill,” within the parameters of the crate.
The sample of earth forms a symbolic replica of the ‘mullock heap’ landmark running through the centre of town, or the original “Broken Hill” itself, discovered by Charles Sturt. Through nomadic processes of accumulation, I collected samples of earth throughout the journey, culminating in a nomadic sculpture, a “Broken Hill”, responding to the cities’ shifting geographic and cultural landscape. Over the journey, I observed the towns’ ability to respond to economic and industrial austerity. Just as the accumulated mound of rocks and earth in my trolley would expand and settle as the trolley wheeled over rough surfaces – so too must the city adapt and respond to cultural developments.
LOCATION: Broken Hill Town Hall Façade, 256 Argent Street
TITLE: Equinox = Balance = Comfort
ARTFORM: Textile art with a little literature contribution in poetry or prose.
MEDIUM: Fabric and hand embroidery on wooden chairs with a literary contribution.
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: Two medium sized armchairs with adjacent literary installation on white and black boards
CATEGORY: Public Category
The major component of the artwork will be two upholstered armchairs with embroidered Yin Yang symbols. These armchairs will be produced by Meg Bishop. They will be accompanied by literary work in poetry or prose, known as Little Literature. The literary work will be produced by members of the public responding to an invitation to participate in a workshop based on a tour of the AGL solar plant. The workshop and installations of the literary work will be conducted by Graeme Gibson.
A Central theme of the artwork is Balance, drawn from the Equinox which is (almost) the same length of day and night. Or black and white. The armchairs provide Comfort to support reflection and conversation.
The workshop will explore what balance means to an individual, to a community (such as Broken Hill) and to a society (Australia).
Yin and Yang – two halves completing a whole; the starting point for change – may support an exploration of balance. May also pose the question of where is the tipping point? How does it matter?
Prior to the AGL tour, workshop participants will meet at the site of the public installation (proposed) for the Town Hall Façade). Following the AGL tour they will return to the installation to provide their literary responses. The workshop will encourage thoughtful group discussion and sharing of ideas to support collaboration. In keeping with Yin Yang/Black White theme participant responses will be installed on black and white boards.
The Yin Yang upholstered armchairs along with a simple conversation starter will support ongoing responses from visitors throughout the exhibition. These responses may be installed on a daily flip chart sheet.
For the duration of the exhibition Graeme and Meg will be present to assist visitors and encourage literary responses. Audio and video recordings are proposed to capture the event from workshop through to literary installation and exhibition openings.
LOCATION: TAFE Western Annexe, Corner of Kaolin & Blende
TITLE: Helix
ARTFORM: Sculpture
MEDIUM: Steel
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: 700mm Diameter, Approximately 10ft High
CATEGORY: Public Category
Graham (Chook) Banks is a teacher of TAFE groups whose units align with methods of construction. The artwork is a group entry by Year 10 students Sione Huxtable, Les Rowbotham, Steve Corradini, Nicholas D’Ettore, Jack Picton, Jordan Bloomfield, Ben Bowshire, Deklin Langdon, Tariq Odegaard, Max Werch and Robert Ferguson.
“A sculptural helix inside a gyroscope backlit using solar energy”
LOCATION: Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, 404-408 Argent St
TITLE: Embrace
ARTFORM: Painting
MEDIUM: Acrylic on canvas
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: 117 x 168 cm
CATEGORY: Public Category
‘Embrace’ nature, the natural environment can be our best friend and greatest partner as we evolve!
Shane Vink is an international exhibiting artist; his work is much sought after by art lovers and collectors alike.
LOCATION: CareWest Ability Links NSW, 309 Argent Street
TITLE: Waiting on a Sunny Day
ARTFORM: Sculpture
MEDIUM: Vinyl & Paper
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: Width 100 cm
CATEGORY: Public Category
I lived in Western Australia for 18 years. While I was there I conducted a number of workshops and completed a water wise mural at Hannens Primary School with the children from K/7.
I was a member of the Kalgoorlie exhibition group where I was on the committee.
I moved to Geraldton where I also conducted workshops and was a member on the committee of the ACDC art group. I returned to my home town of Broken Hill in 2013 for work.
“45/LP Hanging melted together with a pair of sunglasses.”
My main medium is oil on canvas. I work in pastel, oil, acrylic and some other mediums. My style is abstract, impressionism, and also landscapes.
My style is unique. I am influenced by the music that I listen to, by my mood, and the people I meet. My main influences growing up were Joyce Condon and Hoppy Hopgood. Both artists gave me some amazing insights into the world of Broken Hill’s art and good advice at the time.
LOCATION: Broken Hill Art Exchange
TITLE: 1st hand, 2nd hand sunlight.
ARTFORM: Painting
MEDIUM: Water colour on canvas.
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: 50 x 40 cm
CATEGORY: Private Category
Lois was born in Bairnsdale, Victoria. She attended primary school in New South Wales and went to High School in Queensland. Lois became a teacher then a nurse then a teacher again. She fell in love with Broken Hill and teaches at a local school.
“Bright yellow light direct from the sun in daylight, silvery white reflections from the moon at night but it is all precious daylight. We must learn to work with the sun.”
LOCATION: 175 William St
TITLE: Dame Glasses
ARTFORM: Sculpture
MEDIUM: Wood
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: 50 x 40 cm
CATEGORY: Private Category
Dame Edna style glasses light and black light using solar energy. Graham Banks is a long time tradesman and chronic recycler.
LOCATION: The Lodge Outback Motel, 252 Mica Street
TITLE: Metamorphosis
ARTFORM: Sculpture
MEDIUM: Copper, Plastic & Solar LED
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: Variable (4m x 4m x 3m)
CATEGORY: Private Category
“Thoughts and actions lie within me,
An accumulation harbouring great ambitions
Waiting, waiting to emerge from their slumber
From a limbo they have woken
With only some making it to consciousness
I am unrecognisable from my late self”
Metamorphosis is an ambient installation that causes the audience to pause, reflect, explore and absorb. The work in itself is reflective, however through an intimate encounter, it can unlock rich levels of awe and enchantment.
Monica Rudhar produces performance-based works, sculptures and installations that are reflective of emotional states, personal experiences and personal awakenings. She delves into the human psyche in order to make intangible feelings and experiences tangible, visible and tactile.
Transforming philosophical ideas into physical embodiments, she gives the audience an insight into her mind and personal experiences such as her vulnerabilities, struggles, relationships with others and the world around her. She hopes that through participation and viewing her work, the audience will gain a better sense of self, and have a greater empathic understanding of human emotions and experiences. She wants her work to provide a cathartic release and leave the audience in peace, awe and bewilderment.
LOCATION: 332 Duff Street (Corner of King & Duff Street)
TITLE: Rain? I remember...
ARTFORM: Sculpture
MEDIUM: Wood, plastic mixed media and
metal
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: Height 9ft. Width 2-3ft.
CATEGORY: Private Category
“Tree like, solar powered, abstract, quirky, satire.”
Samuel Breiter is a recent addition to the Broken Hill community from Sydney originally from Switzerland. With his love of the outdoors and working with his hand, this is his first attempt at a sculpture involving solar power.
Bianca Miani is a local of Broken Hill, a dabbler rather than an artist and enjoys making things. Dry is a theme and a feeling and a state of being, whilst the drought is on I hope to reflect this through my work.
LOCATION: Jonnie Loves Noreen Vintage Memories, 166 Patton Street
TITLE: The Sundeck
ARTFORM: Sculpture
MEDIUM: Native Woods
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: Height approximately 60cm
Width approximately 30cm
CATEGORY: Private Category
“Basically a treehouse made from all natural materials.”
Born Gippsland Victoria, John G Williams, is an average sort of bloke. He doesn’t really care about much. He doesn’t think that he has to, but some things bother him though. He likes art in all its form, as long as it’s good and well created. Signwriting helped him travel Australia and abroad, and he considers Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Nick Cave and other good musicians that attract his ear as influences, blues mainly, but the list is endless. He’d like to be a winner one day.
LOCATION: Broken Hill Art Exchange, 145 – 157 Duff Street
TITLE: Space Power
ARTFORM: Painting
MEDIUM: Oil on stretched canvas
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: 102 x 66cm
CATEGORY: Private Category
“Something about solar energy. “
Retired station hand living in Broken Hill for the past six years. I’ve always painted and have been a member of the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery.
During the Desert Equinox Solar Art Prize from Friday 18 March to Sunday 27 March artworks will be displayed across the city of Broken Hill. The artworks are for night viewing and displayed between dusk and 9pm each night. This night time exhibition is viewable from the street and audiences are encouraged to navigate the city in search of the artworks. Since submissions for entry into the prize commenced in September 2015, there has been a range of community workshops and public talks delivered. They artistically interpreted the notion of ‘Solar’, building awareness and encouragement for the exhibition.
Activities included demonstrations in printmaking techniques using sun light and paper dying techniques using the heat of the sun. Public talks focused on how integrated approaches between art, science, and new technologies are developing new ways of seeing the world. These community activities leading up to the opening of the Solar Art Prize 2016 were by Artists in Residence at the Broken Hill Art Exchange. Throughout this nine night exhibition numerous public events and activities are also scheduled. These events are open to the public and hosted by local and visiting exhibiting artists. As a prelude to the Broken Hill Art Expo, ‘Solar’ is the first of four exhibitions, to be followed by ‘Earth’, ‘Water’ and ‘Air’.
James Farley is an artist and research student, based in Wagga Wagga, NSW. His interests include landscape, ecology and exploring the complexities of environmental issues through photography. His research focuses on ecology, climate change and aesthetics within contemporary landscape photography. James Farley, age 25, was awarded the inaugural Young Regional Artist Scholarship (YRAS) to create Art in the Regions by Arts NSW.
As Artist in Residence at the Broken Hill Art Exchange, James developed photographs exploring the complex relationship between society, industry and the environment. James commented that Broken Hill was an ideal place for this type of research for two reasons, its long and rich history of mineral mining, and also its geographical location in relation to Australia’s climate. James conducted community workshops leading up to the Solar Art Prize. In his workshop, ‘The Silver City Project’ – Lumen Photography the community made SUN PRINTS on paper and fabric (top left photos).
The results from the community workshop were exhibited at STUDIO 3 Gallery, Broken Hill Art Exchange. Through various photographic processes, James challenges the way we use and
think about creative arts as a tool for revealing and discussing the complex issues surrounding the different relationships and values attributed to place and the environment.
Recent reports suggest that the Australian climate will be one of the first and most severely affected by anthropogenic climate change. This means that situations such as the dwindling water supply in Broken Hill may become more common throughout isolated and semi-arid regions. Trying to understand how this situation is affecting the community in many different ways has been of particular interest to James and his project.
Dr Melinda Rackham is a writer, artist and curator currently based in Adelaide. Her public talk titled ‘Art + Science = Art’ spoke about artists who work with science to produce artworks which look to a better and sustainable world, including Australian artists Deborah Kelly, Joyce Hinterding and David Haines; UK based Daisy Ginsberg and Revital Cohen; and US based Richard Pell’s Centre for Post Natural History and the Wertheim sisters amazing Hyperbolic Crocheted Coral Reef Project. Where Science is not always easy to understand, Art can be cheeky, direct, beautiful and magical.
Dr Melinda Rackham has been working in the media arts and new technologies arena for 25 years, with an international career as an internet based artist and writer investigating human/machine inter-relations. In the past decade as a curator and producer she has expanded to the broader fields of contemporary art, art and science, craft and design practices.
‘Broken Hill is an emblematic landscape in climate crisis, and I believe Art can speak where science fails.’
Dr Melinda Rackham 2015
Neal Mortenson, Glenice Ware and Annette Coulter are members of an art group known as the ‘dispARaTe six’ based in the Blue Mountains NSW Australia. While they were in residence at the Art Exchange they conducted community workshops which included ‘Making Sundials’ presented by Environmental Architect, Neal Mortenson (bottom photo); and a ‘Paper Dyeing’ workshop (right photos) presented by artist and Interior designer Glenice Ware and Annette Coulter, author of The Introductory Guide to Art Therapy.
Anna Macleod is a visual artist and independent researcher based in rural northwest Ireland. Her work mediates complex ideas associated with contemporary, historical and cultural readings of place through a variety of methods, strategies and processes. She employs quasi-scientific methods, interdisciplinary collaboration, performance and socially engaged activism to critique contemporary landscapes and to build metaphoric spaces for re-imagining the future. Macleod was in Broken Hill to continue her project titled ‘Water Conversations’, the umbrella term for an ongoing series of projects in progress since 2007. Articulated as a series of actions, small sculptures, posters, drawings and public interventions, the project explores the complex interstices between landscape, science and technology, culture and geopolitics. The collaborative aspect of the work has led to working partnerships with artists, scientists, cultural geographers, activists, engineers and local historians.
I Shine not Burn by Anna MacLeod
While in Broken Hill Macleod recorded local interviews, involved the community in her video performance work and conducted a community poster making workshop. The workshop focused on making ‘positive images’ in response to climate change issues. The workshop resulted in a fundraising initiative to support environmental art projects. At the Broken Hill Art Exchange Community Workshop facility carry bags are being sewn from recycled fabrics and screenprinted with text and images produced at the workshop, such as ‘Value the Rain’ bags.
www.annamacleod.com
Artist in Action
Local exhibiting artist John Williams (refer to artwork no. 10 ‘Sundeck’) will be at Johnnie and Noreen’s Vintage Memories during business hours.
Jonnie Loves Noreen
Tuesday 22 March 11am Morning tea at The Grand Guesthouse, 313 Argent Street Public talk and tour of ‘The Kitchen Gallery Project, Paul Adcock, Auzpicious Arts
Morning tea with the artists and introduction the next segment of the 'Prelude to the Broken Hill Biennale of Art', the Earth Art Prize. The Earth Art Prize explores the Natural and Built Environments. Its focus is all things ‘earth’ from recycling to land regeneration. It incorporates traditional art practices (sculpture, textiles, etc.) as well as experimental and other forms of environmental/ land art. Pertaining to the built environment, Paul Adcock from Auzpicious Arts will be speaking on the ‘Kitchen Gallery Project’. The Kitchen Gallery started life as a free standing kitchen for the Grand Hotel and was built in 1888. The kitchen not only brought good food to the patrons of Broken Hill’s Grand Hotel it provided a model for how a repeat of the devastating Great Fire of Argent Street in 1889 could be avoided. The kitchen is the last of its kind in Broken Hill. It has fallen on hard times and calls out to be preserved with respect for the echoes of the past while embracing the possibilities of a new future. This restoration project is a partnership project between the Broken Hill Art Exchange, Sureway Work for the Dole Program, the Grand Guesthouse and Auzpicious Arts.