WEDNESDAY, 24 JUNE, 2026
Exhibition explores ecology, technology and memory Artist Justin Enrico Legaspi. (Damjan Janevski) 560452_01
A free exhibition examining the complex intersection between ecology, technology and human experience is on display at Wyndham Art Gallery. Landscapes-Technologies-Bodies features immersive projections, installations and moving image works by a diverse line-up of contemporary artists. Among the artists featured in the exhibition is Werribee’s Justin Enrico Legaspi. His work is featured alongside creations from Yandell Walton, Rebecca Najdowski, K-Ella.Verell and BSOD, and Melania Jack with Patty Preece. The exhibition focuses on systems under pressure, including fragile wetlands affected by industrial extraction, identities shaped by digital surveillance, and memories formed through migration and intergenerational exchange. Across the works, landscapes, bodies and technologies are portrayed as interconnected and constantly evolving. Visitors to the art gallery can explore the exhibition from 10am to 4pm on weekdays and 10am to 3pm on weekends until Wednesday 1 July. Details: www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/whats-on/landscapestechnologies-bodies
Open library fear By Laura Michell A proposal to open Wyndham libraries after-hours without staff has drawn criticism from the municipality’s librarians. Wyndham council is exploring an ‘open library’ model, which it said would complement existing staffed library services. According to a council spokesperson, open library models would give community members the opportunity to access library facilities beyond staffed hours. “The Wyndham community have expressed they would like increased library hours and greater access to library facilities,” the spokesperson said.
But librarians are not convinced, launching an online petition against the plan. The petition, which has gained close to 3000 signatures since launching last week, claims more than 90 per cent of Wyndham library staff oppose the move. Australian Services Union (ASU) Victoria and Tasmania branch secretary Tash Wark said members feared the spaces would become unsafe if left unstaffed after-hours. “Council wants to take our community libraries from safe, thriving spaces of learning and community building, and turn them into risky places that are unprotected and underserved. Th is isn’t innovation, it’s a cost-cutting exercise dressed up in the language of modernisation, and our
members aren’t fooled by it for a second,” she said. “Strip out the staff and you strip out everything that makes a library more than a building full of books. You’re left with an unsupervised public space with no one accountable for what happens inside it.” Ms Wark said that trained professionals are vital for managing daily incidents, including medical emergencies and aggressive behaviour. “You cannot replace that with a laminated induction sheet and a swipe card,” she said. “Our union will not accept a model where council’s safety strategy is to remove the people whose job it is to keep the public safe.”
The council spokesperson said community members would need to complete a safety induction before being granted access to a library after-hours. “These models are designed to extend opening times while keeping a strong focus on safety for everyone,” the spokesperson said. According to council, 26 libraries across the state have implemented an open access model. According to the council, those sites have successfully provided an extra 1784 hours of weekly access without impacting day-to-day staffi ng levels, receiving a positive response from the local communities.
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