Issuu

ARTEL ARTEL ARTEL ARTEL RTEL Maitland Regional Art Gallery

Members’ Magazine

Autumn/Winter 2025

Biannual #13

ARTEL ARTEL

Biannual #13 Autumn/Winter 2025

MAITLAND REGIONAL ART GALLERY AND ITS MEMBERS ACKNOWLEDGE THE WONNARUA PEOPLE AS THE TRADITIONAL OWNERS AND CUSTODIANS OF THE L A ND UP ON W HICH T HE G A LLERY S TA NDS.

MRAG

MRAGM

ARTEL

Located on Wonnarua Country at the gateway to the Hunter Valley in Maitland New South Wales, Maitland Regional Art Gallery presents awardwinning exhibitions and events alongside engaging and varied public programs, educational offerings, and an in-depth Arts Health program.

Maitland Regional Art Gallery Members, the vibrant community of MRAG supporters who, through their membership and fundraising, help sustain the Gallery’s creative learning programs.

‘Artel’ is of Russian origin and refers to an arts or crafts co-operative. The ‘Artel of Artists’ (1863) was formed by a group of St Petersburg Academy of Arts students who’d rebelled against the rules of its annual art competition. Artel has been the name of the MRAGM newsletter, now magazine, since 2007.

230 High Street, Maitland, NSW 2320 Open: Tues–Sun 9am–4pm Ph: 02 4934 9859 E: artgallery@maitland.nsw.gov.au W: mrag.org.au

COVER IMAGE Indeah Clark, Prettier If You Smiled (detail), 2023-24, mid fire clay, glaze, wool and paper

Represented by volunteers, on the Friends of MRAG committee.

CONTENTS

Welcome Katy B Plummer

Mostafa Azimitabar

Brenda Clouten Education

Judy Henry

Boydell’s

8 to Create

Steffie Yee

Store

News for Members

Social Gallery

Elliott Eyes String Quartet

40 44

Exhibitions

ARTEL 04 WELCOME This is a major milestone year for Maitland Regional Art Gallery, and we bring you a rich lineup of exhibitions and programs to celebrate fifty years of art and adventure. In our 50th year on Wonnarua Country, we dig deep into the creative heartland of this region. In 2025, we bring you celebrated artists from across the nation alongside some of the region’s best with a deliberate focus on sharing the work of Hunter based artists. MRAG has grown and evolved greatly over the last half a century. As has Maitland itself in recent years, as one of the fastest-growing regional cities in NSW. I was recently sent a great piece of archival footage by Stewart Macdonald at NBN television. It was an interview with Eric Westbrook, who was the Director of the National Gallery of Victoria and the 1970 judge of the Maitland Art Prize who made a strong call for the establishment of a gallery for the city.

He said, “(the show has) started to build up a collection which I would like to feel is going to lead to a Maitland Art Gallery because you can’t just show serious and important pictures in… I don’t know what this is, but it looks like a cow shed… what I want to see is in fact an important centre like Maitland with a proper art gallery. Maitland is wealthy enough; Maitland’s important enough to have a very good gallery there.” It was the Maitland Art Prize that paved the way for the development of the Gallery as it is today. It was an exhibition and prize that started in 1957 as a collaboration between the Hunter River Agricultural and Horticultural Association, Maitland City Council and the Maitland branch of what was then the Arts Council of NSW.

In the 1970s much work was done to secure a venue to house the collection by National Trust and community leaders. The National Trust helped to secure the site at Brough House in Church Street Maitland and on the 19th of April 1975, it was officially opened as the Maitland City Art Gallery by the NSW Minister for Culture, Sport and Recreation, the Hon. R.A. Barraclough. The Maitland Mercury reported the story and lead with “They’re all there. The peaceful landscapes and the controversial contemporary works. Hanging on the freshly painted walls of Brough House, the Maitland City Art Collection makes an impressive exhibition.” Top: Minister opens Maitland’s Art Gallery, The Maitland Mercury, April 21, 1975, p3. Courtesy Maitland and District Historical Society. Bottom: Art icons re-open new-look gallery, The Maitland Mercury, August 17, 2009. Margaret Olley and Ray Wilson, picture by Cath Bowen.

Fifty years on and I think this sentiment still stands! Margaret Sivyer OAM was MRAG’s founding Director followed by Joe Eisenberg OAM, who led the relocation and redevelopment of the gallery in its new location on High Street. This was opened by Gallery patrons Margaret Olley AC and Ray Wilson OAM on the 15 August 2009. “The grand opening feast is but a taste of what MRAG can and will offer in the future. We have chosen with meticulous care to show off art, to educate and certainly to entertain, while making sure that art courses its way through the veins of the spaces in the building.” – Joe Eisenberg.

“This gallery really is incredible. And it’s here for the people of Maitland to enjoy. People feel deprived if they don’t have their own art gallery but now the people of Maitland do.” – Margaret Olley. Following Joe’s retirement as Cultural Director in 2015, Brigette Uren led the organisation into a new phase and with the MRAG team developed a vibrant artistic and arts health program creating an important legacy for the community engaged programming that remains today.

While we will certainly cut some cake and celebrate on April 19, the party culminates, in the spirit of that inaugural 1975 collection exhibition, in November with the first comprehensive exhibition of works from the Gallery’s collection for some years, Shared. Join us at the launch of this exhibition and our official birthday celebration along with our Maitland City Councillors, friends, benefactors, partners, former Directors and staff as we celebrate a major milestone for your Gallery. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished with the Maitland community over the past 50+ years. The feedback from our visitors speak volumes about how a vibrant cultural hub and art museum can uplift and energise communities. Here’s to more creativity, connection, and inspiration ahead!

Gerry Bobsien, Gallery Director

ARTEL 06 FRIENDS OF MR AG As we step into the Autumn/Winter season, we are delighted to share some exciting upcoming events that celebrate creativity, community collaboration, and the joy of experiencing art in unique and meaningful ways. We invite you behind the scenes for an intimate studio visit with local artist Rebecca Rath on Saturday, 2 August, from 2-4pm. This special event provides a rare glimpse into Rath’s creative world, where she transforms the beauty of her natural surroundings into captivating “en plein air” paintings. Guests will also enjoy a selection of wines generously provided by our partner, Boydell’s Wines.

We are also thrilled to celebrate a milestone for our 2320 Collectors Group, which marks its 5th year this year. This dedicated group of art enthusiasts plays an integral role in shaping the Gallery’s collection. Taking place on Friday 8 August, this unique evening offers Collectors Group members the opportunity to select an artwork for acquisition – an exciting and lasting contribution to our permanent collection. Another milestone for the Gallery this year, is the 20th anniversary of the Brenda Clouten Memorial Art Scholarship. Established by patrons Vicki and Bruce Woods in honour of their friend Brenda Clouten, the Scholarship supports two artists to undertake a program of professional development either through study, travel, research or studio support.

To celebrate this milestone, the MRAGM group unanimously voted on supporting one of the finalists in the Brenda Clouten Scholarship, by acquiring a work of art for the MRAG collection. Indeah Clark’s work Prettier If You Smiled, 2023-2024 was selected and will form part of the MRAG permanent collection – to be enjoyed by the Maitland community for years to come. We have so much to look forward this year as MRAG celebrates its 50th year and we look forward to welcoming you to the Gallery soon.

Leah Riches, Chair MRAGM

Friends of MRAG committee

Leah Riches Sarah Crawford Catherine Kingsmill Amanda Galbraith Joey Hespe Penny Lee Terry Smith Richard Fletcher Council Representative Cr Amelia Atkinson Gallery Director Gerry Bobsien

No part of this publication may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without written permission from MRAGM. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information and to secure copyright permissions, we apologise for any oversights, which we will correct in future issues. All images © the artists. Above: Indeah Clark, Prettier If You Smiled (detail), 2023-24, mid fire clay, glaze, wool and paper

ARTEL 08 T H E U B I Q U I T O U S MY TH OF THE EERIE WIFE

15 M A R C H – 11 M AY 2 0 2 5

It was the skeleton of a giant horse, staring with the blind eye-sockets of a skull... It tossed its dreadful silent head, and red ribbons dangled and fluttered like long banners from the grinning lower jaw. The creature was playing with them... the leering skull thrust out, jaws open wide... tossed on the spine that was a neck; the teeth glittered, the red ribbons danced...Bran was sitting up, blinking wide tawny eyes... ‘The Mari Llwyd!’ he whispered. ‘The Mari Llwyd!’ - from Silver on the Tree, Susan Cooper (The Dark is Rising sequence), 1977

A long-forgotten children’s story recurring years later as a terrifying nightmare; a childhood lived between America and Australia and no time to put down roots; a job working in a photographic archive in New York City where the rabbitholes of history yawned frighteningly wide; and the ever-growing sense of a void within where there was neither language nor context for communicating with the spirit world... so ranged the conversation I had with Katy B Plummer when we sat down together for a chat during her recent visit to the Gallery. I had asked her about the sources she drew on when producing her work and was only too delighted to find that we had both, years before, been equally terrified by the description of the Mari Llwyd - a wassailing folk custom found mainly in South Wales - when it came to life in Susan Cooper’s classic fantasy sequence, The Dark Is Rising.

Katy B Plummer, Margaret and the Grey Mare (video still).

THE UBIQUITOUS MY TH OF THE EERIE WIFE

This autumn, Maitland Regional Art Gallery is host to two major works by Katy: Margaret and the Grey Mare, a Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre touring exhibition, and The Ubiquitous Myth of the Eerie Wife, a complex, layered, and deeply personal response to Ron Mueck’s Pregnant woman. Both works feature performance video and elaborate soft sculpture; both invite visitors to take a deep dive into the myths and histories on which they are based. The gallery space where Margaret and the Grey Mare is showing has been converted into an opulent theatrette, complete with red carpet, lavish curtains, four-poster beds, and luxurious, hand-made quilts. Viewers are welcome to be seated, get comfortable, and lose themselves in this hour-long opera set in a monochromatic midwinter in the time of the 17th Century European witch-hunts.

09 K AT Y B PLUMMER

ARTEL 10

THE UBIQUITOUS MY TH OF THE EERIE WIFE

11 K AT Y B PLUMMER By the light of a waxing and waning moon, and in the company of the Cailleach, an inscrutable female figure who in Celtic tradition is associated with the depths of winter, we are invited to immerse ourselves in the story of Margaret (played by Katy’s own sister Margaret, an opera singer based in Vienna) as she wrestles with two opposing forces and ultimately makes her perilous bargain. The eponymous Grey Mare, or Mari Llwyd, played by Katy herself, is the embodiment of an ancient, forgotten being from the spirit world who converses with the heroine in riddles and rhymes, created in collaboration with a chatbot that was programmed to draw information from sources that may (or may not!) explain this creature’s purpose. The Grey Mare invites Margaret to embrace the unknown, whereas The Witch Finder, played by baritone Michael Honeyman, offers Margaret protection and safety if she betrays that option in exchange for her submission to the power of male authority. Katy B Plummer, The Ubiquitous Myth of the Eerie Wife (detail), 2024, photo: Kuba Dorabialski

Margaret’s battle with these choices provides the dramatic tension for this memorable, operatic experience. Also drawing on mythology, family history, and the bargains and sacrifices women make, The Ubiquitous Myth of the Eerie Wife explores the folkloric trope of a female creature (be she seal, mermaid, or as in this case, swan) who is tricked or trapped into forsaking her animal skin by a man, loses her own kin and her freedom, and is forced to lead a human life, often with tragic consequences. With imagery drawn from the ballet Swan Lake and also the folk tale of the Swan Maidens, common to many European countries, Katy’s video features her own mother (who gave up a career as a ballet dancer to raise her family) in the role of The Grandmother, and Katy’s nieces as The Cousins, two young ballerinas who through a ballet mime lesson, learn of the intergenerational sacrifices made, and perform their swan dance, ultimately becoming

airborne as another Cousin, The Prince, who has been searching for The Grandmother’s long lost swan skin, returns it to her as she sits watching the performance. It is a poignant ending to the story, and all the mo re affecting when watched in the company of Pregnant woman, whose own exquisite swan-skin lies cast behind her as she prepares to face her own reckoning with motherhood and all that it may bring... I thoroughly recommend allowing plenty of time to view both these unique works, and for further reading, collect your copy of the accompanying programs for greater insight into their creation.

Jenny Hunter, Gallery Officer

ARTEL 12 MY MESSAGE IS LOVE As an artist, musician, writer, and human rights activist, Mostafa ‘Moz’ Azimitabar’s work is deeply political, born out of necessity in response to his lived experience as a refugee. The namesake for this exhibition, comes from the work, My Message Is Love, which is constructed from handwritten text on paper in the style of an activist sign, which connotes plainly and simply Moz’s wish for the world. As someone who experienced some of the most dehumanising conditions imaginable, love is what continues to bring Moz back to his community, his plight and his artmaking. Moz’s signature tool – a toothbrush – carries a loaded symbolism. Deprived of art materials while imprisoned in Australia’s offshore detention system, and feeling the pull to create, he found a way to paint, despite the restrictions imposed upon him.

MY MESSAGE IS LOVE

Painting onto whatever he could find, he began by dipping a toothbrush into coffee. Today, he continues to paint with a toothbrush while using coffee as paint, honouring the defiance that carried him through years of captivity. In a similar vein to Sidney Nolan’s 1950 painting, Central Australia, which arose out of Nolan’s experience of flying over inland Australia – The Land of Dreams and No Friend But The Mountains use an aerial perspective to enhance the sense of vastness, isolation and awe of Kurdistan – Moz’s homeland. It’s as if Moz’s act of remembering allows him to float over the hills and plains of his birthplace, piecing back together, like a jigsaw puzzle, the geography of his country. Textured layers of paint, imbued with a buildup of earthy, organic tones achieved through coffee and water, evoke both the harshness of Moz’s past and the promise of a future yet to be fully realised.

01 MARCH – 01 JUNE 2025

The recurring use of the toothbrush as paintbrush serves as a reminder of how something as mundane as a hygiene tool became a conduit for creative defiance. In Moz’s self-portrait, KNS088, named after the number assigned to him in detention, his subdued, pensive face stares directly out at the gaze of the viewer, asking us not to turn away when faced with the realities of Moz’s experiences. Realities that continue to exist in our proverbial backyard. Works such as The Land of Dreams, Kin Land (Taq Wasan) and I Make My Own Bridge possess a dreamlike, surreal quality and seem to hover between worlds, as if caught in the liminal space between memory and longing. There is a palpable sense of displacement in these paintings, a yearning for a homeland that exists more in spirit than in geography.

13 MOSTAFA ‘MOZ’ A ZIMITABAR

Mostafa Azimitabar, KNS088 (self-portrait), (detail) 2022, coffee and acrylic on canvas

ARTEL 14

Mostafa Azimitabar, I Make My Own Bridge, oil on linen, 2023

MY MESSAGE IS LOVE

15 MOSTAFA ‘MOZ’ A ZIMITABAR

These works remain raw, urgent, and deeply connected to the experiences of those who, like Moz, have severed ties with their homelands in the search for freedom and safety from persecution. Moz’s work speaks to the construct of the ‘Other’ and ‘Otherness’ – the experience of existing outside dominant social and political structures, of being displaced, unseen, and unwelcome. His art challenges the imposed narratives of exclusion, confronting the viewer with the reality of those who have been forced to the margins. In Australia’s detention system, he was reduced to a number, stripped of agency, cast as the perpetual outsider. Yet, through his work, he reclaims his identity, refusing to be defined by the structures that sought to erase him.

This notion of the ‘Other’ is deeply embedded in Australia’s historical approach to migration. From the White Australia Policy to contemporary border politics, there has been a persistent effort to define who belongs and who does not. Orientalist perspectives rooted in Colonialism have shaped restrictive policies, casting nonWesterners, and migrants as perpetual outsiders. The asylum seeker, in particular, has been framed as a figure of disorder, a challenge to national identity. Moz’s art resists this imposed narrative, forcing audiences to confront the humanity behind dominant power structures. His work serves as a counterpoint to the systemic erasure and vilification of refugees, reclaiming space and asserting a presence that refuses to be ignored. There is a profound generosity in Moz’s art.

His belief that “love is how we kill the monsters. We are all one family, connected by our humanity,” is not just a philosophy but a manifesto of sorts. His works do not wallow in suffering; rather, they surpass it, offering a vision of unity and healing, inviting us to join him in the plight of freedom, of equality, and of love. During a time where the fragility of democracy hangs in the balance and increasing instability looms large across the world, Moz challenges us to see beyond borders and bureaucracies, to acknowledge the cost of indifference, and to embrace art as an act of radical empathy. His paintings are more than images; they are evidence of survival, each one a testimony to the fact that creativity and humanity can never be detained.

Joey Hespe, Arts writer

ARTEL 16 8 TO CRE ATE RESPONSE TO SINGING IN HARMONY

08 MARCH – 22 JUNE 2025

In March, the Gallery became a dynamic site of artistic experimentation and communal creation. At 9 a.m., thirty-five artists spanning a diverse array of creative disciplines arrived equipped with the tools of their craft. They were presented with an ambitious challenge: to produce a creative response to an exhibition, the identity of which remained undisclosed until the moment of commencement. With only eight hours to complete their work, the event, titled 8 to Create, positioned time itself as an artistic constraint, fostering a unique interplay between spontaneity, interpretation, and production. The chosen exhibition, Singing in Harmony, featured the work of Virginia Cuppaidge and Chris Capper – a serendipitous pairing of two artists whose visual languages explore abstraction, still life, and colour theory. 8 T O CR E AT E

For the participating artists, this was an exclusive opportunity; the exhibition had not yet opened to the public. The Gallery transformed into both workspace and sanctuary, allowing the creators to engage with the artwork in an intimate, behindthe-scenes setting.

exhilarating anticipation as the gallery prepared to welcome the public. The resulting presentation embodied the spirit of an avant-garde salon – evoking the raw vitality of a poetry reading in 1960s Greenwich Village or the bohemian gatherings of Parisian art circles.

Though the artists were free to come and go, many chose to remain for the entire duration. A palpable sense of creative energy reverberated throughout the space, as artists observed, conversed, and found inspiration in each other’s evolving works.

The event’s communal ethos was echoed by participating artist Charmaigne Evans, who described the experience as “a celebration of artistic camaraderie. Her work – an emotive, minimalist painting rendered on a repurposed tray sourced from a local charity shop – sought to blend Cuppaidge’s abstraction with Capper’s domestic motifs, emphasising texture and composition within the constraints of the limited timeframe.

As the clock struck 5 p.m., the gallery’s staff faced the formidable task of assembling an impromptu exhibition within a single hour. Artworks were swiftly mounted, monologues printed, and power sources located for musical performances. The atmosphere shifted from feverish creation to

17 8 TO CRE ATE

Fiona Johnson, similarly, inspired by Capper’s exploration of domesticity against vivid architectural planes, reflected on the gendered interruptions that domestic labour imposes on creative practice, a theme resonant with her own experiences and those of fellow female artists. Adam Crewes, by contrast, responded with a more oppositional approach, using the exhibition as a catalyst to challenge compositional norms. He embraced the event’s collaborative nature, remarking on the exhilaration of creating in tandem with others, each pursuing distinct interpretive pathways: “Sometimes we need these opportunities to be reminded of the kaleidoscopic range of human expression.”

Poet Zac Farncomb found his inspiration in the exhibition’s vibrant palette. He spoke of a particularly moving encounter with Capper’s Poppys, which evoked a profound emotional response connected to his experiences as a U.S. Army veteran. This unexpected moment of personal resonance compelled him to write on a subject he typically avoids, underscoring the unanticipated directions artistic engagement can provoke.

Ultimately, 8 to Create emerged as more than an exercise in experimental production. It became an embodiment of artistic vulnerability and collective resilience – a testament to the power of creative communities. The Gallery, transformed by this event, stands as a reminder: inspiration requires no permission, and the world waits for those willing to create.

Alex Morris, Education Lead Photography by Terry Smith

ARTEL 18 CHINESE RESTAUR ANT PL AYGROUND

21 JUNE – 24 AUGUST 2025

Her childhood home was physically attached to the restaurant, separated only by a plastic sliding door. Customers often wandered in to greet her parents, while she and her siblings roamed freely between the two spaces. With no one to mind the children, her mother prepped vegetables with baby Steffie strapped to her back in a carrier.

Imagine a restaurant where the clatter of woks harmonises with the giggles of a child rollerblading across the tiles. Where pot lids double as cymbals, and spring roll pastry batter transforms into playdough. Welcome to Chinese Restaurant Playground, the playful and deeply personal exhibition by local artist Steffie Yee.

Photography courtesy of Yee family archives.

C H I N E S E R E S T A U R A N T P L AY G R O U N D

Set in the heart of her parents’ Chinese restaurant in Branxton, a small town in the Hunter Valley, this multimedia exhibition is a love letter to her childhood, community, and the rich, often-overlooked stories of regional Asian Australians. Through a lively blend of stop-motion animation, sketches, restaurant memorabilia, and nostalgic ephemera, Yee captures the chaos and charm of growing up behind the counter.

“A Chinese restaurant can be seen as an aesthetic rather than a place of real stories and families,” Yee explains. “It’s important to humanise these spaces, beyond novelty.” At the exhibition’s core is a looping animated film, Chinese Restaurant Playground, a visual scrapbook of Yee’s childhood antics —zipping through the restaurant on wheels, drumming on kitchenware, and sneaking peeks at customers slurping wonton soup.

19 STEFFIE YEE 余淑婷

The sensory explosion of sound, colour, and movement mirrors the lively energy of the restaurant itself. A standout piece, Wok, embodies the heat and frenzy of the kitchen with a larger-than-life wok launching vegetables mid-air. The exhibition also features camcorder recordings captured by Yee’s mother, who meticulously documented their childhood, preserving fleeting moments of joy and routine.

But beyond playful memories, Chinese Restaurant Playground delves into migration, resilience, and cultural identity. Like many Chinese migrants, Yee’s parents poured their hearts into their restaurant, a hub of connection and survival. Yet, as younger generations step away from hospitality, these institutions and their histories are vanishing. Yee’s work is a heady mix of nostalgia intertwined with the preservation of memory and culture. Alongside her animation, she presents hand-drawn storyboards, old menus, and community oral histories, reminding us that every regional Chinese restaurant holds a lifetime of stories – some told, many untold. And in a cultural landscape that often centres Asian-Australian experiences in big cities,

Chinese Restaurant Playground shifts the focus to small-town life, where cultural intersections are just as vibrant but rarely documented. Chinese Restaurant Playground is a heartwarming, visually dazzling tribute to the places that shape us, the families that raise us, and the joy that can be found in the most unexpected corners, like a bustling kitchen where a child on rollerblades becomes the artist who creates.

Joey Hespe, Arts writer

ARTEL 20 THE ELLIOT T EYES BEQUEST

In early 2017, Maitland Regional Art Gallery received an email headed: “New Private Collection about to open to the general public” In that first email the team at MRAG were introduced to Gordon Elliott and Michael Eyes and the Elliott Eyes Collection, a significant private collection of more than 460 (and growing), contemporary works of art spanning sculpture, painting and ceramics, all housed in THE ELLIOTT EYES BEQUEST

a Victorian terrace house in Erskineville, Sydney. This private art collection had been discerningly developed over more than two decades, and like a museum, almost every surface in their home displayed art. However, Gordon and Michael aspired to share their collection and not keep these works private, rather, open their home to the public for art tours and to share the collection on a dedicated website.

14 J U N E – 2 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 5

They also offered to loan works from their collection to regional galleries for exhibitions. This offer was something the MRAG curators were keen to pursue and so began our relationship with Gordon Elliott and Michael Eyes and the Elliott Eyes Collection. Talks began to lock in an exhibition of the Elliott Eyes Collection for 2020 and from there a strong relationship between Gordon and Michael and MRAG developed.

21 THE ELLIOT T EYES COLLECTION

In July 2020 they donated their Hayley Welch painting, Chop you up for firewood, 2014, to the MRAG Collection. Later that year MRAG emptied their home of 126 artworks for the extensive exhibition: A Passion SharedThe Elliott Eyes Collection, on display at MRAG from 1 August – 4 October 2020.

However, there was more they wanted to give.

In October 2022, Gordon and Michael facilitated a donation to the MRAG collection by New Zealand artist Gregor Kregar of his five handglazed porcelain sheep from the series, Matthew 12:12, Cup, 2011. Then in 2023 they donated the moody Rick Amor painting, House & Hedge by the Sea, 2011 and three whimsical Noel McKenna ceramic pieces.

“We wanted to leave a legacy based on our collection that would last and grow even after our passing.

Over this time Gordon and Michael have become valued supporters and advocates of MRAG, travelling to MRAG to join us for exhibition openings, our Contemporary Collectors nights and supporting the Member’s Art Sales. Michael and Gordon in the front garden of their home, with Terry Stringer’s bronze sculpture, A Matter of Perspective, 2014, (part of the Elliott Eyes Bequest).

After their 2020 exhibition at MRAG, Gordon and Michael approached Gerry Bobsien, our director, to discuss a most generous and substantial bequest offer (which was accepted). In their words:

When we fall off the earth, a selection of artworks from the Elliott Eyes Collection will be acquired permanently into the MRAG Collection. The rest of our assets, including the remaining artworks in the Elliott Eyes Collection, our house and any other assets we own, are to be sold and the proceeds to be put into a trust fund to be administered by MRAG. Each year the trust fund interest will then be used to fund the support of selected artists from Australia and New Zealand, who will be commissioned to create a major artwork.

That work will then be gifted by the artist, as part of their funding, into the MRAG Collection. Knowing that our collection and estate will contribute to the ongoing commissioning of art and artists into the future is a great feeling. We look forward to an ongoing relationship with the Gallery for many years to come and feel that our legacy will live on and be an exciting contribution to artists and the Gallery’s community.” This year, MRAG is celebrating this generous gift by presenting the artworks selected to be acquired, as part of the bequest, in the exhibition, 9.5 Elliott Eyes Bequest. Artists in this exhibition will include Rick Amor, Robert Fielding, James Gleeson, Jess Johnson, Euan Macleod, Clement Meadmore, Reko Rennie, Anne Ross, Terry Stringer and Michael Zavros.

Cheryl Farrell, Gallery Collections Lead

ARTEL 22 STRING QUARTET

3 0 A U G - 14 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 5

Enright’s career was tragically cut short when he passed away 2003 at the age of 52, however - his works continue to be performed around the world.

THE STORY The Maitland & Morpeth String Quartet is a tale of music and romance which takes root in the sleepy town of Maitland and the neighbouring village of Morpeth. The Maitland & Morpeth String Quartet is more than just a musical ensemble, it is a heartful love story set against the backdrop of the Great Maitland Flood of 1955.

STRING QUARTET

The story celebrates not just the flood’s aftermath but the enchanting sounds of music that brought the community together, played by a couple, a trio and ultimately a quartet which adds to the unique magic of community.

THE WRITER BEHIND THE STORY Nicholas (Nick) Enright, born in Maitland in1950, was a prolific playwright, actor, director, screenwriter and more. His diverse body of work has left an indelible mark on Australian culture.

Enright’s achievements include film adaptations of Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet, alongside Justin Monjo, and along with George Miller the acclaimed film Lorenzo’s Oil—which earned him both an Academy and WGA Award nominations. Enright’s work continues to inspire, ensuring his legacy lives on in the arts, both in Australia and internationally. The movie Happy Feet released in 2006 was dedicated to Enright’s memory. His connection to Maitland, the place where he was born and raised, shines through in much of his work, especially so in The Maitland & Morpeth String Quartet.

THE MAITL AND & MORPETH STRING QUARTET CELEBR ATES THE POWER OF MUSIC, THE DEPTH OF LOVE, AND THE IMPORTANCE AND APPRECIATION OF LOCAL HISTORY AND CULTURE. THE PUBLICATION

THE ANIMATION

THE PERFORMANCE

The original extended poem was initially broadcast by the ABC in 1979. The poem was later published in book form in 1980 and launched later that year at Maitland City Art Gallery (MRAG’s previous incarnation). At the start of the book, Enright dedicates the story to his parents “who reared me in Maitland…”. The publication is illustrated with charming characters created by New York based cartoonist Victoria Robert’s, whose distinctive cartoons bring the characters and scenes to life in a thoroughly whimsical and delightful way.

The story takes on a new life through the vibrant animated film produced and directed by Anne Jolliffe, credited as Australia’s first female animator. Jolliffe’s animation studio, Jollification, brought Roberts’ illustrations to the screen, creating a dynamic blend of music, romance and fast-paced quirky characters. The film is enhanced by the sophisticated narration of actor Ruth Cracknell who like Enright, was born in Maitland. Cracknell’s warm and evocative voice perfectly captures the whimsical essence of this charming story. The animation pulls on the poetic heart of Enright’s writing while adding a layer of wit and sophistication.

In conjunction with the presentation of the animation, MRAG has commissioned composer David Banney to create new music which will be performed by the Christ Church Camerata String Quartet before an audience at the Maitland Town Hall. The performance will feature narration delivered expertly by retired ABC broadcaster Paul Bevan. The performance will be staged as a one-off, not to be missed performance on the evening of 5 Sept 2025 at the Maitland Town Hall – a local landmark which also appears as a character in the story.

Victoria Roberts grew up in Mexico and Australia but has lived in the US since her late 20’s. Roberts has been a staff cartoonist for The New Yorker since 1988 and her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and many other magazine and newspapers and she generously allowed MRAG to use her images throughout this project.

The animation, on loan from the National Sound and Film Archive, will be screened in the MRAG in the project space, from 30 August - 14 September offering an opportunity for audiences to experience the magic, wit and charm of both the story and the 30-minute animation in full.

Whether you are a fan of music, animation, or local history, this Maitland and Morpeth story is sure to leave a lasting impression, bringing the magic of this unique corner of Australia to life in an entirely new way.

Kim Blunt, Senior Curator illustration by Victoria Roberts, The Maitland & Morpeth String Quartet (book detail), 1980.

ARTEL 24 BRENDA CLOUTEN MEMORIAL SCHOL ARSHIP AWARD

2 2 M A R C H - 15 J U N E 2 0 2 5

Established by patrons Vicki and Bruce Woods in honour of their dear friend Brenda Clouten, this exhibition celebrates the 20-yearanniversary of this unique scholarship designed to assist young artists from the Hunter-region with study, travel or studio support. For the past two decades, Maitland Regional Art Gallery has welcomed the benefaction of Vicki and Bruce Woods who have supported over 70 Hunter based artists through this exhibition opportunity and award. From the inaugural program in 2005, this award has generously provided 18 young artists from across the Hunter region with funds to help further develop their professional arts practice. In 2022 ceramic artist Holly MacDonald was awarded the Brenda Clouten Memorial Scholarship Award which allowed her to undertake a 4-week artist

residency at the Scottish Sculpture Workshop located just outside of Aberdeen. “Every stage of the process from developing the application, to the installation of my work to receiving the scholarship offered important opportunities for growth in my practice. The Memorial Scholarship gave me the space to dream big about where I wanted to take my practice. The experience of installing work in a firstclass gallery space with the support of an incredibly skilled and resourceful install team allowed me to develop practical skills around installing work. The whole way along I felt like I was being taken seriously as an artist and that was a huge confidence boost. The fact that the Brenda Clouten Memorial Scholarship exists for young artists in the Hunter Region is just so invaluable,” said Holly MacDonald.

BRENDA CLOUTEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Eli Turier, winner of the inaugural Brenda Clouten Memorial Scholarship back in 2005 utilised the scholarship to attend a residency at the Red Gate Gallery, located in a 600-year-old Ming Dynasty Dongbianmen tower in Beijing. Now working in animation and gaming in Los Angeles, Eli is wellknown for across the world for gaming, storytelling, and original music. This Brenda Clouten Memorial Scholarship 2025 features works by 11 finalists - Aidan Gageler, Alessia Sakoff, Claire Paul, Brigitte Beyer, Genevieve Graham, Indeah Clark, Liss Finney, James Rhodes, Lexie Worboys, Nikola Jokanovic and Sandy Sanderson. Selected by artist Katy B Plummer and Vicki Woods, the winner of this year’s scholarship was presented to Sandy Sanderson, and the runner up was Liss Finney.

25 CELEBR ATES 20 YE AR ANNIVERSARY

“Brenda derived so much pleasure from the arts. She loved the ballet, musical theatre and all things cultural. She loved the good things in life and always lived for the moment. This scholarship in Brenda’s name is our way of creating a lasting memorial that will give benefit to young and upcoming talent in the Hunter area and keep Brenda alive in our hearts,” said Vicki.

Courtney Novak, Deputy Director Sandy Sanderson, Communia Omnia (detail), 2024, organic material and found objects.

2022

2020

2018

2016

2014

Michaela Swan winner

2012

Maggie Hensel-Brown winner

2009

Michael Randall winner

2008

Bree Sanders winner

Leeroy Chapman winner Alessia Sakoff runner up

2007

Ben Soerdradjit winner

2006

Carla Feltham winner

Dale Collier winner Liss Finney runner up

2005

Eli Turier winner

Holly Macdonald winner LOVEDAVID runner up Liss Finney highly commended Karri McPherson winner Bronte Naylor runner up

ARTEL 26 LIFELONG LE ARNING AT THE GALLERY Mondays at the Gallery are a little different — and a lot more special. While the doors stay closed to the general public, they open exclusively for students and educational groups. It’s a unique chance to experience the Gallery without the usual crowds, creating an immersive, focused, and inspiring visit. Best of all? It’s free, as long as you book in advance. Students of all ages are welcome, from preschoolers to university classes. The Gallery believes everyone is a lifelong learner, and Mondays are designed to nurture that curiosity. A typical Monday visit might start around 9:30 AM. Students are welcomed, drop off their bags, and dive into activities tailored to their age and abilities.

Photography by Jessica Ward

LIF ELONG LE A R NING AT T HE G A LLERY

They explore the exhibitions on a guided tour alongside Gallery staff and their own teachers, with plenty of time to ask questions and engage with the art. Afterward, they can enjoy morning tea in the Gallery’s beautiful garden – a perfect spot to reflect on what they’ve seen. For a more hands-on experience, students can also join an affordable, professionally led art workshop. Taught by experienced artists, these workshops draw inspiration from the current exhibitions. Whether it’s Impressionism, contemporary works, or something else entirely, the Gallery can tailor sessions to align with different subjects and curriculum goals – blending education with creativity and fun.

Teachers are encouraged to reach out ahead of time to discuss their needs. With a bit of notice, the Gallery team, including collections and curatorial experts, can help create a truly memorable, meaningful, and even magical experience for students.

Alexandra Morris, Education Lead

27 EDUCATION

ARTEL 28 MEET A MEMBER: JUDY HENRY In celebration of our 50th operational anniversary edition of Artel it seems fitting that our Meet a Member article should focus on the gallery’s very first member; member number 1, Judy Henry! At this point, I must confess, I have a great fondness for Judy. Judy was one of the many MRAG staff who made me feel tremendously welcome and appreciated when I started supporting the gallery as a volunteer in 2012. Our friendly association continues to this day. What follows is the result of a warm-hearted chat we had in late February about Judy’s MRAG journey. Judy joined the MRAG team in 2004 as a volunteer. Being a volunteer at this stage in the gallery’s development meant that you mucked in across every aspect of the gallery, from collections to exhibition installation and luckily for Judy, two areas that would influence the trajectory of her life: the gallery shop and gallery membership. Photo courtesy of Judy Henry

MEET A MEMBER: JUDY HENRY

Whilst assisting with a mail-out (as volunteers did and still do) to promote the creation of a Section 355 Members Committee for the gallery and to drive membership uptake, Judy had a ‘light bulb’ moment “I will be member number 1!” After the light bulb burst, great rays of light shone all around Judy in the excitement of her superhero moment and the great glory of beating the then gallery Director, Joe Eisenberg to the punch, Judy became member number 1. Despite no longer being at MRAG on a weekly basis, maintaining pole position on the MRAG Membership leaderboard remains a source of pride for Judy and one she is steadfastly determined to hold onto. Arguably more important, was Judy’s role as the Gallery Merchandise Officer during a time of significant growth. Given her background as a small business owner of a jewellery and gift shop, it’s not surprising that as a volunteer she gravitated towards the Gallery Store.

Then when the Store needed to be transformed from what was the equivalent of a miner’s cottage into the castle that it is today, Judy was employed to work her magic. An enduring spell she then cast, for many of the artists Judy brought on board back in the mid-2000’s such as Giselle Penn, Will Maguire, Johanne Herbert and Keith Rowe remain on the shelves and delight shoppers to this day.

29 IN EACH ISSUE OF ARTEL, WE INTRODUCE YOU TO ONE OF OUR MEMBERS AND FOR THIS ISSUE WE PROFILE JUDY HENRY – OUR VERY FIRST GALLERY MEMBER. But Judy’s one true love lingers in her DNA and impulsively a shop in an art gallery becomes a place of deep consideration rather than simply a place to shop and enjoy. She tells me about the very small, ingeniously designed nook that was the shop at a gallery she encountered in Argentina on her most recent trip.

No lotion or potion has enabled Judy to forget the single item she broke on the polished concrete floors of the gallery shop. It was 2am on the morning of the grand opening of the refurbished gallery, when exhausted from weeks of intense work, Judy knocked a glass vase that fell to the floor and shattered. The sound that rang out across the lastminute hustle and bustle in the Gallery signalled to all that their job was done.

Like a bottle of champagne cracked on a ship’s bow, Judy unwittingly blessed the gallery team and bestowed good luck on its future voyages ahead of the official ceremony later that day. Since retirement, Judy has been busy exploring life alongside her best friend and husband, Mal. Together they have leapt into icy Antarctic waters, sat behind the world’s largest waterfall, drank a pint of Guinness in Ireland, and much more.

Ever the artful saleswoman, Judy was able to slip a pitch about her most recent artistic venture into our conversation. Judy is one of the volunteer founding members of the Gresford Community Art Gallery. As an artist Judy knows how difficulty it can be to show your work, she says, ‘if you are an artist looking for a place to exhibit, check out the gallery online or follow us on Facebook and get in touch.’ Travelling the world and seeing galleries and gallery shops near and far, Judy is proud to say that we have the very best right here in Maitland and she is honoured to be member number 1!

Maree Skene, Visitor Engagement Officer

ARTEL 30 B O Y D E L L’ S This interplay between history and functionality is part of what makes Boydell’s such a unique experience.

When I meet Dan Maroulis, co-owner of Boydell’s and his colleague Rowena Henderson at the restaurant in Morpeth, it’s a typical Maitland summer’s day. The mercury is close to forty, and as I step into the reconstructed 1820s slab hut that adds charm and history to this now-local institution, my eyes dart to the ceiling. Little strips of blue-sky stream through the rafters like leaks in an old story, where the past lets in just enough light to remind you it’s still there.

Top left: Jane and Dan Maroulis on their property in East Gresford. Bottom right: the reconstructed 1820s slab hut at Boydell’s restaurant.

B O Y D E L L’ S

“It’s hard to keep the hut cool in summer and warm in winter,” Dan later tells me as we chat over a glass of their Sparkling Verdelho. “People always ask the same question…” and I already know what he’s going to say. “Does rain fall through the roof?” The three of us chuckle – it’s a fair question and one I’ve often wondered about while dining at Boydell’s a few times over the past four years since it opened in late 2020. The answer, surprisingly, is “no” the slab hut may look brittle, but even reconstructed, it remains a sturdy structure.

Boydell’s historical significance is deeply connected to the Maroulis family’s home in East Gresford. The property, which they purchased in 2015, was once the original vineyard of Charles Boydell. Settled in 1826 by Welshman Charles Boydell – arguably the site of the first vineyard in the area – the fertile land was used to grow a variety of sought-after commodities, primarily tobacco and wine, both prized for their exceptional quality. That famously rich soil was replanted with vines in 1997 and continues to produce some of the finest fruit in the Hunter. This connection to the land, spanning nearly two centuries, is at the heart of Boydell’s winemaking philosophy.

31 The original 1820s mud hut, made from hand-hewn ironbark – which was a common locally sourced material for construction during the early 19th century – stands as a testament to the craftsmanship of early settlers. When Dan and Jane acquired the site for the restaurant, the hut had a dirt floor, and as was common at the time, fires were lit directly on the ground for warmth and cooking. This ultimately led to much of the hut being damaged by fire. Restoring it while preserving its history was no small feat, but the Maroulis family was committed to honouring its past while creating something new for the local community. A distinctive feature of Boydell’s is its integration of art into its brand. Local artist Inga Campbell has played a pivotal role in this, transforming archival blackand-white photographs of Charles Boydell’s property into bespoke wine labels and menu designs.

The Maroulis family’s appreciation for history extends beyond their vineyard. One particularly fascinating connection is to Bessie Boydell, wife of Charles Boydell, who, in addition to raising seven children, was a talented artist in her own right.

Her legacy lives on, not only in the family’s history but also in the presentday identity of Boydell’s. Paying homage to her talent, one of Bessie’s watercolour paintings now graces the label of her namesake wine – a sparkling red varietal.

ARTEL 32

Inge Campbell, Boydell property (for wine label, Bessie), watercolour

B O Y D E L L’ S

33 This thoughtful touch is just one example of how Boydell’s intertwines history, art, and winemaking, making every bottle a tribute to the past and present. Boydell’s Winery, under the stewardship of Jane and Dan Maroulis, is truly one of a kind in the area. While plenty of cellar doors exist a thirty-minute drive away, a boutique winery, cellar door, and restaurant are unique to the Maitland LGA. Dan Maroulis’ background in wheat farming provided a natural progression into viticulture. His deep understanding of the land allows him to cultivate grape varieties that reflect the terroir of East Gresford. The winemaking process—balancing scientific precision with artistic intuition—results in wines that honour the region’s agricultural heritage.

This philosophy extends beyond the vineyard, influencing everything from the restaurant’s menu to its artistic collaborations.

This partnership is yet another way Boydell’s continues to weave its story into the broader cultural fabric of the region.

The Maroulis family works closely with renowned local winemaker Liz Silkman, whose skills have earned her the enviable title of Winemaker of the Year multiple times. By intentionally keeping their production smallscale, Boydell’s ensures both a sustainable future for their vineyard and a level of craftsmanship that guarantees every bottle – vine to table – is as honest and deliciously good as the last. It’s this dedication that makes Boydell’s more than just a winery—it’s a living, evolving story of resilience, creativity, and exceptional food and wine.

As the sun sets over the historic slab hut, Boydell’s stands as a bridge between past and present—a place where history is not just remembered but lived, where wine tells the story of the land, and where every sip invites you to become part of that story. For those who visit, it’s more than just a meal or a tasting— it’s an experience that lingers, much like the rich, complex notes of a perfectly aged vintage. If you’ve attended any of MRAG’s openings or events, you’d be sure to have tried a drop of this delicious local wine.

Dan says the partnership between MRAG and Boydell’s was a “no-brainer” as both share a passion for celebrating local heritage and creativity.

Joey Hespe, Arts writer

ARTEL 34 STORE UPDATE With handmade at its heart, the Gallery Store has showcased the work of over 500 Australian makers throughout its 20-year history. What started as a single glass cabinet many years ago has evolved into a vibrant ever-evolving space that continues to celebrate creativity. There is an endless hum that underpins all that happens behind the scenes in Store. It’s the buzz from our visitors, the chats had with those waiting for their takeaway coffee, the wonderful, rich, deep diving conversations had at our front desk after a wander through the Gallery and Store. The energy and inspiration that comes from talking with our artist-makers about their latest creations. Our sales data too of course! Each season is carefully curated with all of this in mind while drawing inspiration directly from the Gallery’s diverse exhibition program. Cleaning slipcast greenware Henry & Tunks Studio.

S T OR E UPDAT E

Our passion for celebrating and sharing beautiful well-made products is very much centred around the people that make them. Currently, we stock one-ofa-kind pieces from more than 100 Australian makers. Over half of these based right here in the Hunter Region. The Store provides a platform for makers just starting out, those who are looking for guidance and ideas of how their work might fit into retail. We provide income and exposure for those artists who are ‘out there’ online or at markets, and have a wonderful, accessible range that we know our visitors will love. We are a space that is made better by the diverse cross section of makers at different stages in their creative careers that may otherwise not be showcased together. The Store embodies its own vibrant creative community with each artist playing a part in collective success.

It is truly a challenge to put into words the recurring sentiment heard from these creatives, but the genuine heartfelt gratitude and joy of having their work displayed in the Gallery Store is immense. “I am thrilled to have my work stocked at the Maitland Regional Art Gallery Store. Exhibitions at MRAG are always incredibly well-curated, and this careful attention to detail extends seamlessly to their retail space. Being able to showcase my work in such a wellrespected gallery is both an honour and a valuable opportunity for my business. It’s such a privilege to have my pieces displayed in such an inspiring space, surrounded by the work of so many talented makers and artists. As someone who grew up in Maitland and still calls the local area home, having my work featured at the MRAG means a lot to me.

The gallery is not just a place for art—it’s an incredible resource for both locals and visitors, providing a space for creativity and culture to thrive. Being a part of the MRAG Store connects my work to a wider audience and helps me engage with the community in a meaningful way. I am proud to be represented in such an esteemed space.” – Lyndel Henry of Henry and Tunks Every piece in the Gallery Store carries a story.

A maker’s vision, a moment of inspiration, and a touch of something uniquely human. It’s a space where creativity is celebrated, nurtured, and shared, connecting artists with those who appreciate the time, skill, and heart poured into their work. For the artists, it’s more than a retail opportunity. It’s recognition. For the visitors, it’s more than a purchase, it’s a chance to take a piece of that creativity home. So, to our makers — past, present, and future – thank you for trusting us with your work.

And to our visitors, thank you for choosing to support local artists and handmade craftsmanship. Together, you help keep this vibrant creative community alive, evolving, and thriving. The Gallery Store isn’t just a place to shop. It’s a living, breathing celebration of art, makers, and the stories that bind us all together – and we’re honoured to share it with you.

Ashley Grant, Merchandise Manager

ARTEL 36 NEWS FOR MEMBERS

NEWS FOR MEMBERS

BEHIND THE SCENES: REBECCA RATH STUDIO VISIT Join local exhibiting artist, Rebecca Rath in her studio at Pokolbin. Explore Rebecca’s property and see how she transforms the surrounding natural environment into beautiful “en plein air” paintings. This event will include light refreshments and wine provided by our partner, Boydell’s wines. D A T E : S A T U R D AY 2 A U G U S T, 2-4PM C O S T: $ 15 P E R P E R S O N

2320 COLLECTORS GROUP 2025 will mark five years since the inception of our inaugural collector’s event. Taking place in August, this wonderful evening is a one-off opportunity for this avid group of art lovers to select an artwork for acquisition that will enrich the Gallery’s collection. Past acquisitions have included works by Nyarapayi Giles, Tamara Dean, Elisa Jane Carmichael, Dhopiya Yunupiŋu, and Caroline Rothwell. Contact the gallery for more information or to book in for this year’s event and be a part of helping shape our community’s collection into the future. D A T E : F R I D AY 8 A U G U S T, 6 P M

2320 Collectors dinner, August 2024, photography by Leighsa Cox

ARTEL 38

BECOME A MEMBER OF MAITLAND REGIONAL ART GALLERY

Your membership supports free and accessible programs for all ages, and gives you access to an exclusive annual program of events and member benefits.

MEMBERSHIP

1 YEAR

3 YEARS

INDIVIDUAL

$40

$95

CONCESSION*

$30

$70

FAMILY

$70

$170

BUSINESS

$95

$230

*child/student/pensioner

GIVE GALLERY MEMBERSHIP AS A GIFT! When you purchase a gift membership online the recipient of the gift will receive an email including their membership details and your personalised message. To become a member, renew your membership, or for a full list of benefits, head to mrag.org.au/become-a-member

MR AG COLLECTION BOOK, SHARED Our collection continues to grow through new acquisitions and wonderful benefactors. In 2023, we launched our new publication highlighting work in the collection, aptly titled, Shared.

From historical treasures to art that fills our minds with a sense of place and wonder, this book captures the spirit of Maitland Regional Art Gallery’s collection in all its many forms.

Sharing this collection gives us the opportunity to ignite conversations, inspire young artists and generate pure joy and delight for curious minds.

AVAILABLE AT THE MRAG STORE $20.00

ARTEL 40

Clockwise from top left - 1. Avian Improv (Leighsa Cox); 2. Mimili Maku Arts (Anna Wattler); 3. Teens workshop with Bridie Watt (Leighsa Cox); 4. Autumn opening (Leighsa Cox); 5. Autumn opening (Leighsa Cox); 6. Brenda Clouten opening (Leighsa Cox); 7. Avian Improv (Leighsa Cox)

SOCIAL GALLERY

ARTEL 42

Avian Improv, credit: Leighsa Cox

Clockwise from top left - 1. Fuschia Sables event (Alex Morris); 2. Brenda Clouten opening (Leighsa Cox); 3. Autumn opening (Leighsa Cox); 4. Education Mondays (Michelle Maartensz); 5. Robert Fielding, ‘Tjukurpa’ opening event (Leighsa Cox); 6. Birds of a Feather event (Leighsa Cox); ; 7. Avian Improv (Leighsa Cox)

SOCIAL GALLERY

ARTEL 44 EXHIBITIONS

01 MAR – 08 JUN 2025

01 MAR – 01 JUN 2025

08 MAR – 22 JUN 2025

My Message is Love

Gillian Bencke

Mostafa Azimitabar

Margaret and the Grey Mare

Gillian Bencke is a careful collector, some might say hoarder, of textiles. From her vast collection of fabric offcuts, old clothing, and discarded haberdasheries, Gillian creates small and large scale installations and sculptures. Us explores series and scale, while delving into the modern complexities of feminism, ethical divergence and social expectations.

Mostafa ‘Moz’ Azimitabar grew up in a country where his Kurdish heritage made him vulnerable to persecution. Moz sought asylum in Australia in 2013 and was detained for the following six and a half years. Despite his traumatic past, Moz found solace and strength in his creativity. For Moz, the theme of love is central, both in his art and his activism. My Message is Love speaks to the healing and revolutionary power of compassion, understanding, and solidarity.

Gillian Bencke, Array (detail) 2024, silk, cotton, polyester, glass beads, sequins, pearls, found objects

EXHIBITIONS

Mostafa Azimitabar, KNS088 (self portrait), (detail), 2022, coffee and acrylic on canvas.

Katy B Plummer, music by Sally Whitwell Margaret and the Grey Mare is foremost, an opera and an immersive video installation. It was made in collaboration with a chatbot, coded to act as a channel to an ancient Celtic land spirit. The project takes place in a nameless forest at the height of the European witch-trials, and explores the possibilities of Artificial Intelligence as oracle, witchcraft as a feminist framework, and the troubling gifts passed down through lineage.

Katy B Plummer, Margaret and the Grey Mare (detail), 2023.

08 MAR – 22 JUN 2025

15 M A R – 11 M AY 2 0 2 5

2 2 M A R – 15 J U N 2 0 2 5

Singing in Harmony

The Ubiquitous Myth of the Eerie Wife

Brenda Clouten Memorial Art Scholarship Prize

Chris Capper and Virginia Cuppaidge Singing in Harmony brings together the renowned artists Chris Capper and Virginia Cuppaidge in a dynamic exhibition that explores the interplay between abstraction, perception, and nature. Capper’s powerfully restrained and coloured compositions offer a sense of space, order, and emotional resonance. While Cuppaidge’s formally structured, carefully mapped out and layered works evoke a highly considered bond between the artist and nature.

Virgina Cuppaidge, Autumn Daylight (detail), 2024, acrylic on canvas.

Katy B Plummer The Ubiquitous Myth of the Eerie Wife, is a response to Ron Mueck’s monumental Pregnant woman, on loan from The National Gallery of Australia. Told against the hallucinatory and deeply familiar backdrop of Swan Lake, this exhibition is a lush meditation on the eerie existence of the artist-mother and on matrilineal creative inheritance and legacy.

Katy B Plummer, The Ubiquitous Myth of the Eerie Wife (detail), 2024, photo KIuba Dorabialski.

20-year anniversary exhibition Established by patrons Vicki and Bruce Woods in 2005 to honour of their dear friend Brenda Clouten, the Scholarship supports two young achievers in visual arts to undertake a program of professional development through study, travel, research or studio support. Now in its 20th year, the grants will support two creatives – 35 years or younger.

Liss Finney, Each, 2025, mixed casting mediums, steel, timber, pigment.

ARTEL 46 COMING SOON

17 M AY — 2 9 J U N 2 0 2 5

0 7 J U N – 19 O C T 2 0 2 5

14 J U N – 0 2 N O V 2 0 2 5

Notes on Life, Loss, Longing and Love

Found

The Elliott Eyes Bequest

Rebecca Rath

From a private art collection housed in a quiet inner-city terrace in Sydney, MRAG staged the exhibition A Passion Shared – The Elliott Eyes Collection, during 2020. As a legacy, the collection owners, Gordon Elliott and Michael Eyes have designed a bequest to provide continuing support of artists through the on-going agency of MRAG. This exhibition will not only highlight the generosity of the bequest but will preview 10 artworks from the Ellott Eyes Collection which will one day form part of the MRAG collection.

Notes on life, loss, longing and love is a community driven project capturing the essence of life’s most profound and complex experiences. We invite our audience and community to take part in this final project commissioned as part of the National Gallery of Australia’s loan of Ron Mueck’s Pregnant woman. The community become the storytellers and contributing artists, as we seek to capture experiences of the fragile beauty of longing, the heavy weight of loss and the enduring power of love.

Love You Mum, 2025, Sophie Brown, photo Zoe Lonergan.

EXHIBITIONS

For Hunter Valley artist Rebecca Rath, establishing human connection with the natural world is the premise of her practice and the impetus for this body of work. Found, in both a literal and metaphorical sense, applies to the act of painting en-plein-air, of finding or discovering unique and interesting environments, light and texture, along with the ongoing journey of uncovering meaning and self. In this series of paintings Rath brings to life her surrounds, seeking to find new ways of seeing what is in her own ‘backyard’.

Rebecca Rath, The Dam (detail), 2023, The Vintage Pokolbin, oil on wood panel.

Robert Fielding, Nganampa Tkilurpa, our culture, 2023, synthetic polymer on linen.

14 J U N – 19 O C T 2 0 2 5

21 JUN – 24 AUG 2025

2 8 J U N – 19 O C T 2 0 2 5

Watered-up by sea…

Chinese Restaurant Playground

Sticks and Stones: Earth and Bones

Steffie Yee 余淑婷

Ken Unsworth

Malvika Satelkar Watered-up by Sea… is proposed as an alternative phrase for the word ‘flood’. In this installation, Satelkar asks the viewer to question their understanding of the terminology and meaning of ‘a flood’; that our language and use of the word fails to remind us that this excess of water was at one-point, fresh clean rainwater, an otherwise blessing for all living things.

Malvika Satelkar, Watered-up by Sea... (installation shot), 2024

Having served four generations of customers for over 40 years, Steffie Yee’s parents’ Chinese restaurant, Yee’s, was the backdrop of her childhood. Chinese Restaurant Playground is a multimedia exhibition about childhood, imaginative play, and finding joy within the frenetic setting of Yee’s in the small Hunter Valley town of Branxton.

Family photo of the artist’s mother and sister outstide the family’s restaurant, 1993

For millennia, sticks, stones, earth, and bones have been the foundation materials of creative expression. Ken Unsworth, one of Australia’s most respected artists, is well known for incorporating these materials in his sculptural installations, including his kinetic work Zone of Wistful Thoughts, which he donated to MRAG in 2023. MRAG will showcase this iconic installation alongside works from our collection and a selection of loaned works inspired by these earthy materials.

Ken Unsworth, Zone of Wistful Thoughts (detail), 1984, suspended river stones, motorised propellers, black silk banners.