Art, Not Apart now is turning ten years old and for those ten years the creative minds behind the metaphorical canvas have constantly been pushing boundaries for what is considered art. Today I, Tomorrow You ensnares the idea that change must begin with us; and that art and the artistry itself is a magnet for attention and knowledge of the unknown.
The recent bush-fires that ravaged the New South Wales coastline plays an almost constant theme throughout numerous artworks featured here. In a series of photographs titled ‘Glare’ by Kevin Adrian Miller we see the depicted tree-lines obscured by the glaring heat of day. Sophie Dumaresq questions our impact and lust for reproduction with her art installation of photographs, snippets of female hair and harsh twines of metal coated in pink materials akin to the agricultural pesticide Roundup; reflecting on our treatment and consequences of the land that we are so blessed to walk upon. Millie Black’s ‘This Is Now’ features oils, earth based pigments and charcoal to create a smoky yet haunting view of the Australian landscape; profits from Black’s sales will be generously donated to Nature Conservancy Australia to continue to protect our land, waterways and wildlife.
Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, Andrew Barr appeared at the opening of Art, Not Apart. He referred to the festival as “Canberra’s orgastic festival moment” and a “success story” as we are a growing city with a lot to offer and be proud of; policies, social issues and otherwise. Such as, we have become the first city outside Europe to shift from fossil fuel to 100% renewable energy.
Today I, Tomorrow You is a FREE event; open to the public at the Nishi Galley from 12 March – 4 April.
