ekphrastic art | Words Out Loud

We enjoyed a bumper crowd for the launch of the Winter Solstice exhibition at Ballarat North Bowling Club on Friday 19 June.

The exhibition ran over the weekend of 20-21 June, and received a steady stream of visitors who made the most of the opportunity to sample the creations of the SHAC artists at their pop-up shop as well as the published works of 10 of the contributing writers. There was a healthy number of red dots in the exhibition itself, many going up during the launch.

Adding to the atmosphere were readings of their works by Kylie Supski, Laura Goodin, Frances Thompson, and Kirstyn McDermott.

It was also a joy to overhear the poets at Melissa Watts’ workshop on the Sunday exploring the works and bringing yet another view to them.

Feedback has been extremely positive, with writers and artists enjoying the challenge and exploration of the ekphrastic process, and visitors commenting on the blend of visual art and written responses. The turn-out at the launch was beyond expectation – thanks to everyone who came, either on the night to create such a fabulous vibe, or during the exhibition weekend.

A big thanks to SHAC, the Ballarat North Bowling Club (who ran out of wine glasses at the launch!), the City of Ballarat’s Creative Ballarat team for supporting this endeavour with a Creative Inspiration grant, Ballarat Arts Alive for auspicing the grant, and the writers who contributed work and assisted with promotion and staffing of the event.

The works have been captured in a catalogue, available through SHAC (https://www.shacballarat.org.au/). Keep an eye out during any of their future events.

Launch night drew one of SHAC’s largest audiences. Picture: SHAC

Some of the audience at the launch of They Are Us at the Mercure Ballarat

The They Are Us collaborative ekphrastic art exhibition filled the room for its official opening on February 27, and it was quite a blast.

The exhibition reversed the usual ekphrastic process, having 20 Soldiers Hill Artist Collective members create art in response to short fiction and poetry by Central Highlands writers, operating under the WOL banner, on the theme of They Are Us.

The artists were randomly matched to the written works and created responses in a range of media, including painting, photography, woodwork and textiles.

Writer Jean Flynn at the They Are Us launch

Writer Jean Flynn reading her work, ‘What Would Jacinda Do’

The writers engaged with a broad range of subjects, from intergenerational meditations, warfare and immigration, to alien encounters and environmental concerns.

The combined works comfortably fill the generous space at the Lounge Gallery, Billy’s Bar, at the Mercure at 613 Main Rd, Ballarat, and the launch crowd comfortably filled the room! Lovely to see some red dots on the walls by the end of the evening, too!

City of Ballarat’s deputy mayor, Cr Belinda Coates, again showed her appreciation of not just the exhibition and the project’s collaborative nature, but the role of art itself at a defining time in history.

Reuben Morgan (of the BallaRat Pack), who composed a gorgeous piece for the previous WOL-SHAC collaboration Weathering the Future in 2018, has again written a bespoke theme piece. He was unfortunately unable to perform it on the night, but a recording of the work (about seven minutes in three movements) played during the launch shows a piece well worth a closer listen when it becomes available as he reflects on the refugee experience.

We’re particularly grateful to Radmac Office Choice in Ballarat for the generous donation of foam core board on which to display the written works and to Robert Young Signs for their contribution.

The exhibition runs from February 24 to April 5.

Artist Judith Bryce explains how she used writing by Jean Flynn as inspiration for a woven basket laden with symbolism.

Words Out Loud

Supporting writers and spoken word in Ballarat, Victoria

Tag Archives: ekphrastic art

Winter Solstice exhibition – that’s a wrap

They Are Us is launched