A major exhibition of local, national and international artists featuring stop-motion animation artworks opens at Bathurst Regional Art Gallery on Saturday 12 February.
CEL is a synthesis of local, national, and international artists working with what South African artist William Kentridge calls “stone-age animation” (stop-motion animation) wherein the hand of the artist is ever present. These visually rich animations convey complex and at times fanciful narratives through a seemingly simple medium, cutting through technology to form a direct connection with the viewer.
“Visually rich animations showcased in CEL all convey complex and at times fanciful narratives through a seemingly simple medium, cutting through technology to form a direct connection with the viewer.” Says Emma Collerton, BRAG and CEL Curator, “CEL residency artists have extended this connection through the creation of individual immersive animation installation experiences.”
Under the tutorage of animator Damian Gascoigne, five regional artists from various disciplines participated in a five day residential intensive in Hill End in January 2021. Resident artists Tom Buckland (Oberon), Genevieve Carroll (Hill End), Harrie Fasher (Portland), Locust Jones (Katoomba) and Aleshia Lonsdale (Mudgee) were given an opportunity to expand their practice into a new medium, acquire new skills, and create an original animation. The resulting work and installations are showcased in CEL alongside the work of Damian Gascoigne, Todd Fuller, and Deborah Kelly, as well as works by international artists William Kentridge, Richard Lewer, Geng Xue, Bu Hua, and Sun Xun on loan from the Art Gallery of New South Wales and White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney.
CEL will include a free drop-in ‘animation make space’ – a self-guided DIY animation area allowing visitors to create their own animations to be projected in the exhibition space.
This exhibition is supported by BRAGS Inc. through Create NSW Arts Restart Residencies funding, and Arts OutWest.
CEL: The Artist as Animator will be on display at BRAG from Saturday 12 February until Sunday 3 April 2022.
Events and programs include an exhibition preview, an artists talk, regular exhibition tours, ‘Art of Wine: South Africa’ and ‘Out There: BRAG Open Air Projections’. For more information and bookings, visit the BRAG website.
To stay up to date visit the BRAG website (www. bathurstart.com.au) where you can sign up to the BRAG e-news mailing list, or follow BRAG social media profiles www.facebook.com/bathurstart and www.instagram.com/bathurstregionalartgallery.
Opening hours are Tuesday to Friday 10am – 5pm, Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays 10am – 2pm, closed Monday.
Entry to BRAG is free.
Image:
HARRIE FASHER, The Space Behind 2021
Stop-motion animation (colour and sound), concrete sculpture, truck tarpaulin and mixed media, 8 minutes and 22 seconds. Studio assistants: Nicole O’Regan, Steve Hogan and Robert Hirschmann Animation assistance: Damian Gascoigne
Music composition: Hugh Fasher
Courtesy of the Artist and King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
Assistance from Create NSW, The Foundations Portland, Hunter Mining Methods, Wallerawang and Metaland Bathurst
