Robert Watson, Road Garden (detail), 2009. Found Australian rubber, fabric, nails and wood, image courtesy of Mildura Arts Centre Collection, acquired 2009.
The northern Victorian city of Mildura offers more than just great food and wine, with the Mildura Arts Centre (MAC) opening up the town as a beacon for arts and culture.
Born and raised in Mildura, Arts and Culture Development Manager at Mildura Arts Centre Antonette Zema said that the presence of the gallery, the performing arts theatre, Rio Vista Historic House and sculpture park, combined with the atmosphere of the Sunraysia region, the paddle boats,the rich food and wine culture makes for a marriage made in heaven.
The art centre holds an extensive collection of works, with a permanent collection that is one of Victoria’s best kept secrets, said Zema.
‘The permanent collection is quite diverse. It’s a representation of how the gallery has been formed over the last sixty years,’ she said.
From the art centre’s foundation bequest of Senator RD Elliott and Mrs Hilda Elliott including the largest single collection of paintings by artist Sir William Orpen, the collection also boasts art by Edgar Degas, as well as works by Sir Frank Brangwyn and a range of significant English and Irish works from artists such as Thomas Gainsborough. This is accompanied by historic works by Australian artists including Federick McCubbin, Penleigh Boyd, Emanuel Phillips and Henry Gritten and complemented by the Mildura Sculptural Triennial’s past works acquired from 1961 onwards.
Utilising their own collection, the Kaleidoscope exhibition is a playful installation of works. Showcasing a mix of mediums ranging from photography, print to painting, the sole criteria for the featured works is colour. A current highlight of the centres program includes the new Joyce McGrath Donation, comprising of thirty artworks from the Australian tonalist movement.
The XS Collective exhibition offers a contemporary experience to regional visitors, with a collective group of emerging and established artists presenting experimental installations and live performances.
In October, MAC will be working with Mildura Palimpsest Biennale to host the project ‘Unmapping the end of the world’, with a local and international creative artist walk. A key highlight of the MAC 2016 program will be celebrating the Diamond Jubilee, which will showcase founding works in traditional exhibitions right through to contemporary works by local artists and artists that have worked in the region.
‘What you will see is a rich exhibition program that celebrates the past sixty years and also the future of where we are going. There will be exhibitions and public programs that celebrates our Collection and the significant events that have shaped the past sixty years, from the founding bequest to today, to local artists and artists who visited and worked within the region to working with Guest Curators and much, much more,’ said Zema.
Kaleidoscope: Mildura Arts Centre Collection
14 May- 5 July 2015
The Joyce McGrath Donation: Mildura Arts Centre Collection
14 May- 5 July 2015
xs collective
7 May- 28 June 2015
For more information visit Mildura Arts Centre.
