Regional arts organisation Arts OutWest opened two art exhibitions of work by NSW Central West artists at NSW Parliament House on Wednesday 7 August.
The While the World Waits exhibition features 20 artists and has previously toured to 12 galleries and venues across the Central West from March 2022 to July 2023.
The exhibition Beyond: Aboriginal Arts and Culture in Regional NSW features new work by nine artists and groups, curated by Arts OutWest’s Aboriginal Arts Development Officer Aleshia Lonsdale. This exhibition is on the special Reconciliation Wall exhibition area at NSW Parliament House.
The exhibitions were opened by NSW Minister for the Arts John Graham and are hosted by Ben Franklin MLC, President of the NSW Legislative Assembly.
Performing at the opening was Lithgow-Bathurst folk-country duo Smith & Jones who featured on the original While the World Waits compilation album.
“It’s fantastic to have these works here in the State parliament. They’re works that reflect the thoughts, the ideas, the stories, and the culture of artists from regional New South Wales,” said Minister for the Arts John Graham during his opening address.
“We’re surrounded at this point on Macquarie Street by some of the major art institutions… and I think you can be left with the impression that the city is the Centre of the art world. But if you look around at the work that’s on the walls… it’s a big reminder of how important the stories are from over the Blue Mountains, over the Great Dividing Range, to the history and to the imagination of our state. Arts OutWest have played a very important part of continuing that legacy by fostering the artistic communities of the Central West for 50 years, the oldest of the regional arts development organisations.” said Minister Graham
“Since I’ve become president has been a real focus of my to ensure that this building is truly open to all and it’s the Parliament of New South Wales not just the Parliament of Sydney. What better way to do that than to showcase a range of art from across regional New South Wales,” said President of the Legislative Assembly Ben Franklin.
“I love Arts OutWest, I love all the RADOs … and I’m totally committed to the phenomenal work that they do around the state and supporting and nurturing and inspiring us across NSW.”
Arts OutWest executive director Kylie Shead said drew attention particularly to the Beyond exhibition of First Nations artists in the region, acknowledging the partnership with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Kew-Y-Ahn Aboriginal Art Gallery at Hartley Historic Site ran in partnership with Arts OutWest,” he continued.
“This exhibition comes a comes together at a time that is of great importance as we commemorate 200 years since martial law was declared on Wiradjuri people,” Ms Shead said
“We are especially excited to be showing contemporary Aboriginal art from our region. The style and the quality of art by First Nations artists in regional NSW is not always known or understood,” Ms Shead said.
The Beyond exhibition celebrates the diversity of contemporary artistic practice of Aboriginal artists from beyond the sandstone curtain. It will include 2D works, weaving, photography, and a possum skin cloak.
“From the legacy of colonisation to cultural revitalisation and environmental issues these messages amplify Aboriginal voices and showcase the ongoing development of artistic expression which is informed by the diverse traditions, histories and worldviews of First Peoples of NSW,” curator Aleshia Lonsdale said.
The While the World Waits exhibition sprung from a Covid-era music project where songwriters from the region were asked to reflect on the years 2020-2021. The conversation was then opened up to visual artists who were asked to respond to both the album of original music and their own experiences. Works in the exhibition include painting, sculpture, drawing, ceramics, photography, glass and textiles. The original exhibition also included moving image and animation, these will be featured in the Sydney exhibition as still images.
“It has been a privilege and joy to work with so many artists right across our region to deliver such a high quality exhibition. The work is full of heart and optimism. These 20 artists show us that the level of work being produced in regional NSW is just so exciting to experience,” says artist and While the World Waits curator Steven Cavanagh.
Artists featured in While the World Waits are Gus Armstrong (Rylstone), Laura Baker (Blayney), Helen Carpenter (Grenfell), Steven Cavanagh (Hill End), Gemma Clipsham (Bathurst), Bev Coe (Condobolin), Heather Dunn (Bathurst), Lise Edwards (Lithgow), Harrie Fasher (Portland), Robert Hirschmann (Portland), Cate McCarthy (Yetholme), Hugh McKinnon (Orange), Christine McMillan (Kandos), Shani Nottingham (Cowra), Timothy Seager (Bathurst), Henry Simmons and the River Yarners (Bathurst), Bridget Thomas (Bathurst), Jane Tonks (Orange), Heather Vallance (Orange), Stephan de Wit (Parkes).
Artists featured in Beyond are Nyree Reynolds (Blayney), Sonia Cox (Lithgow), Jessica Ann Leffley (Lidsdale), Irene Ridgeway (Parkes), Ronda Sharpe (Parkes), Tanya Stevens (Gulgong), Jason Wing (Kandos), Brett Groves (Lithgow), Aleshia Lonsdale (Mudgee).
Arts OutWest is the peak arts body and regional arts development organisation for the NSW Central West. Arts OutWest partners with local councils and services the local government areas of Bathurst Region, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Lachlan, Lithgow, Mid-Western Regional, Oberon, Orange, Parkes and Weddin.
Arts OutWest is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW, the Australian Government through the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support, partner councils and Charles Sturt University.
The exhibitions are hosted in the central Fountain Court at NSW Parliament House, Macquarie St Sydney and run until 29 August. They mark Arts OutWest 50th anniversary year.
Photos by Chris Gleisner
