Posts Tagged collective insites

Collective Insites – Awards and more.

The Collective Insites project has been over now for some time, but before I wrap it up on this blog I should congratulate everyone involved for achieving a GAMMA Award for one of the best projects in 2011. Read about the awards at http://www.magsq.com.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=868.

Collective Insites is also now featured as a case study on the Arts Queensland website at http://www.arts.qld.gov.au/docs/collective%20insites%20case%20study.pdf.

There’s possibly more I’ll post about collective Insites. I have a lot more images I should sort out and post and hope I can get to do that soon.

In the meantime I’m going to start using this blog to feature other works and  projects that take a creative approach to history.

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Creative History ‘Collective Insites’ now available as an e-book

An extended version of the catalogue essay with an introduction to the project and a section on the work of each of the artists is now available in e-book format at all major e-book retailers including the Kindle store on Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo and Diesel. The book can be easily accessed in all e-reader formats as well as PDF and HTML by visiting the Smashwords publishing site  at this link  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/60135 or through any of the e-book retailers above.

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Collective Inistes- The Catalogue

The funding available through the RADF grant  was augmented by a generous donation from Downer EDI that allowed the production of a printed package that included a  small fold out colour catalogue and an artist card for each of the artists. The whole was enclosed in a vellum envelope and was a much sought after memento of the exhibition. The full text of the catalogue essay by curator Judy Barrass is available in the pages on this site (above or right).

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Collective Insites Opening

A large crowd gathered at Gatakers Artspace to celebrate the opening of the Collective Insites  exhibition on May 6th 2011. Jenny Galligan,Executive Director (Arts Development), Arts Queensland opened the exhibition.


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Hanging ‘Collective Insites’ exhibition, Gatakers Artspace, Maryborough

It seemed like it was never going to happen. The gallery looked like a construction site. It’s hard to image what comes before a beautifully  presented exhibition in a white cube gallery space. Chaos and stress.

Niels Ellmoos was hard at work putting together the frame-work for his massive charcoal drawing. His portable museums were a mass of bits and pieces, tools, glues, and unkowns.

Susan Hutton seemed like she was on a dream run, putting together four of her five pieces in record time. But it seemed like a cat was going to be her undoing. Many tries later the cat finally conformed to Susan’s idea of where and how it should sit on its pedestal.

It was then up to Christine Turner to create havoc and challenge everyone to remember how the mangle went back together. Trevor Spohr from Gatakers was his usual unflappable self coming up with solutions to every  problem, and finding a way to get everything done.

Of course Fiona Mohr also had a hand in trying to put that mangle back together.  In the end we had to call in the experts in the guise of Patrick from Mavis Bank.  Fiona  was heard emitting huge sigh of relief that her expertise would no longer be called into question.

Over in a corner was what we  affectionately called ‘the Tardis’, but which was, in reality David Hodges’ installation. Sometime after lunch  workmen in flurescent vests arrived and started doing all sorts of things to it. We don’t know what. Perhaps they were attempting time travel. We’re looking forward to how this thing is going to operate, if it does. Peta Duggan was nowhere to be found. We think she was at home putting the finishing touches to a fantastic and amazing sculpture that will definitely not be able to be transported and will never fit into the lift to the first floor. But we hope she’s having fun. John Meyers from the military Museum came in to  go over her work with a fine tooth comb and we are pleased to say he actually liked some pieces. Thanks John!

Make sure you’re there for the opening of this amazing exhibition. Gatakers Gallery, Maryborough, Friday May 6th, 6 pm. The catering  is going to be great! All are welcome to attend.

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Collective Insites Exhibition Opens May 6th

The opening of
of two new exhibitions at Gatakers Artspace: Collective Insites curated by Judy Barrass and
featuring works by five artists and In the Half Light by Noel Brown.
DATE 6 May 2011
LOCATION Gatakers Artspace, 311 Kent Street, Maryborough
TIME 6.00pm for 6.30pm
Collective Insites to be opened by Jenny Galligan,
Executive Director (Arts Development), Arts Queensland
In the Half Light to be opened by Trevor Spohr
TELEPHONE Trevor Spohr (07) 4190 5723
RSVP 2 May 2011
gatakersartspace@frasercoast.qld.gov.au

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David Hodges – Collective Insites Project Adds a New Dimension to Interpretation of Historic Store

New media artist David Hodges has used the Collective Insites  project to develop a new interpretive resource for the National Trust property, Brennan and Geraghty’s Store, donating many hours, his artistic talents and his technical expertise at a minute fraction of the real cost. The final result, an interactive DVD of short video clips telling the story of significant items from the collection will be unveiled at the opening of the exhibition and donated by David to the National Trust.

David talks about his work with Brennan and Geraghty’s Store below.

“The project has been a collaborative process between Ken Brooks and myself. Ken’s involvement has been providing input into every stage of the project, passing ideas on the items being displayed, the interface design, acting in the production video and providing feedback at the stage meetings.

My involvement has been vast across a number of areas in the screen and media field. The interface concepts were drawn before the digital version was created to save time. A test video was shot and modified for proof of concept. These processes allow you to get a feel for the production inspiring ideas, identifying pitfalls and highlighting areas of improvement.

Working with digital media has it draw backs as well as its benefits. Systems are software driven and to complete this project, improvements had to be made to the workstation I currently use. Software crashes and files can become corrupt; this is a standard in the digital media field so professionals save versions of work over and over along with automated system backups on a daily and weekly basis. All of these processes add to the space taken on the hard drives in the system.

The work represents around 300 hours of work that has been completed over two and a half months. That, combined with my main job meant a seven day week for the entirety of the project (I am looking forward to a day off). The process mentioned has created over 200 gigabytes of information contained in 19,282 files.

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Bringing Maryborough’s Industrial Past to Life

Visitors to Gatakers Artspace in Maryborough have been surprised and delighted to find the upstairs space in the gallery converted to an artist’s workplace. Amongst the current exhibition of industrial moulds and images from Maryborough’s past, artist Niels Ellmoos is working on his contribution to ‘Collective Insites’, a project that brings together local artists and historical collections.

‘Industrial archeology’ is the central theme of Niel’s art practice. He describes his contemporary artworks as a sort of ‘reimagining’ of history through objects.

On the West Coast of Tasmania he  interviewed  some of the old miners, and made video tapes, drawings  and sculptures that were inspired by Tasmania’s strong mining history

Niels current focus is on the industrial history of  Maryborough. It’s a rich and very interesting  part of the town’s past that has given him a lot of  material to work with, including the city’s large collection of industrial moulds and other industrial objects that are rarely on show to the public. Although they may originally have had mundane uses, some of these objects are beautiful sculptural pieces themselves.

Niels will be working as artist in residence  in the Gatakers Artspace. He’s happy to have visitors drop in and talk with him about what he’s doing and how his work is progressing. He’s already made contact with some of the colourful characters from Maryborough’s industrial past.

Moving the moulds from storage to the gallery

 

 

There are five local artists working on the Collective Insites project, which will open at Gatakers Artspace in Maryborough  in May.

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At the Intersection of Old and New – David Hodges and Brennan Gerhaghty’s Store

 

David Hodges and Ken Brooks discuss David's ideas for Collective Insites

As his part of the Collective Insites project multimedia  artist David Hodges will be focusing his attention on the historic Brennan and Gerhaghty’s store in Maryborough, Queensland. It’s a surprising combination, an artist working with the cutting edge of new technologies and a store that time forgot.

Brennan and Gerhaghty’s was a family operated store from 1871-1972. Today the store is a National Trust property and a significant remnant of our past.

The Trust acquired the shop with all of the contents which are now displayed on the shelves. The interior is very intact and is typical of many all purpose stores that were once located throughout Queensland. Contents range from unsold stock from the 1890’s to 1920’s advertising material.

Visiting Brennan and Gerhaghty’s is like taking a step back in time. The patina and  colours, the pace of the experience , and the advertising material all add to the experience of being in a place that time forgot.

David Hodges started in the commercial art industry air brushing motor bike tanks in the early eighties. He changed mediums frequently and discovered  computer drawing and air brushing techniques in the late nineties. He went on to study multimedia at QANTM and now teaches at  Wide Bay TAFE and has undertaken a number of major projects and commissions.

David has developed techniques and processes that secure specialized work in the industry, so it is exciting to have him as part of the Collective Insites project which matches artists with museums in Maryborough.

Collective Insites will be on show at Gatakers Artspace in Maryborough from May 6th.

 

 

 

 

 

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Maryborough Military Museum and digital artist Peta Duggan

The Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum is a surprising gem to find in a regional centre. It was established as a private museum by John and Else Meyers using  much of John’s own extensive collection. The museum is now a public trust, and the collection has been added to by generous donation and further collecting.This important collection interprets military campaigns and aspects of Australia’s colonial history. It is housed in a magnificent old warehouse style building near the wharf area in Maryborough, and contains many significant objects.

The museum is staffed by volunteers and is very much a part of the local community.

As part of the Collective Insites project digital artist Peta Duggan will be interpreting the collection in her own inimitable style.

Peta  is a local resident of Maryborough who likes to manipulate images of  everyday objects and shapes in her work.   Her imagination leads her to find hidden meanings and satire of a dark nature reflected in many of her images.  She says ” humans can be seen as  concepts and intrigue of the imagination, where space, time and thought are one ”

It will be interesting to see what Peta makes of the museum and what the museum makes of her. It is certainly not a conventional mix, and John Meyers from the museum is to be congratulated in his willingness to participate in the project, and to allow an emerging artist working in new technologies full reign in his museum. Peta’s mind is already racing ahead with the possibilities. She says, after her first visit:

As I walked into the old historical building in Wharf Street Maryborough, in Queensland, my senses were filled with awe…Not only is this building, built in the 1800’s, the military collection is the most highly prized museum in –as to be so bold!  in Queensland, and even bolder! Possibly more impressive than the National war museum located in Canberra (1991 visit).”

Peta’s work will be part of the Collective Insites exhibition at Gatakers Artspace in May, and she will be having a solo exhibition at the gallery later in the year.


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