Local artists look into Gallery’s collection from female perspective

Published on 07 March 2019

Rockhampton Art Gallery has shortlisted six Central Queensland artists to explore works in the Gallery’s nationally significant collection.

Michelle Black, Amber Countryman, Erin Dunne, Anitha Menon, Emma Ward, and Veronika Zeil will each undertake a one week research internship, accessing and researching the works of female artists in Rockhampton Art Gallery’s collection.

During the internships the artists will have access to the Rockhampton Art Gallery collection, including artworks, paper archive and reference books. The artists will look at the collection with reference to The Countess Report (2016), a national report on gender equity in the Australian visual arts sector.

Through the internships, the artists will each contribute to conversations of institutional gender representation, and consider this national topic on a local scale through the collection holdings of Rockhampton Art Gallery.

Their exploration of the works in the Gallery collection will result an exhibition, Counterparts, which will show at Rockhampton Art Gallery from 8 June – Sunday 8 September 2019

Chair of Rockhampton Regional Council’s Community Services Committee, Cr Rose Swadling said that opportunities like this will enrich participating artists’ knowledge and awareness of Australian art, artists, movements, and periods; in turn further developing their artistic practice through access to and research of Rockhampton Art Gallery Collection.

“Counterparts will celebrate the significance of the Rockhampton Art Gallery collection, while at the same time forging its relevance to today’s social, political and community framework,” she said.

Through the work of the six resident artists, the artworks held in the Rockhampton Art Gallery Collection by female artists like Judy Cassab, Vida Lahey, and Grace Cossington Smith will be brought to life by new stories and ideas relevant the political framework of 2019, creating a platform for a variety of voices to contribute to breaking down institutional gender representation.

This project has been funded by the Regionals Art Fund.

The Regional Arts Fund (RAF) is an Australian Government program designed to benefit regional and remote arts practitioners, arts workers, audiences and communities. The fund is provided through Regional Arts Australia and is administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance.

Rockhampton Art Gallery is owned and operated by Rockhampton Regional Council.