New England Regional Art Gallery (NERAM) will wrap up what has been a fabulous year with five new exhibitions that open on Friday November 15 at 6pm.
The exhibitions will end NERAM’s 2024 program on a high note with exhibitions that celebrate NERAM’s collections, local artists from the region, ceramics from the NT and brings one of Australia’s leading contemporary artists to the New England.
One of the new exhibitions – Colourful Coventry – is perfect for the whole family these coming summer holidays. Visitors will be able to see gems from the Chandler Coventry Collection in a new way with this interactive display of colourful artworks accompanied by a variety of activities – a scavenger hunt, dress ups, colouring in and more.
“This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Chandler Coventry,” said NERAM’s director Rachael Parsons.
“Coventry was born into an established grazing family in New England, moved to Sydney where he opened an art gallery in 1970.
“He built a significant collection of Australian and international contemporary art, focusing on expressionism and abstraction. In the late 1970s, he offered his collection to Armidale on the understanding that an art museum would be built to house both his and Howard Hinton’s collections.
“The Coventry Collection remains a celebrated feature of NERAM and the region and this year Colourful Coventry will introduce the collection to the next generation of art lovers, building on Coventry’s great legacy.”
NERAM will also showcase the amazing artistic talent found in the New England Region with two local artists returning to the gallery for solo exhibitions: Max Powell (Fusion) and Lizzie Horne (Wild Rivers).
“It is always exciting to see how an artist’s practice evolves and shifts over time,” said Rachael.
“We can’t wait to showcase the works of ceramicist Max Powell in his exhibition Fusion as well as the work of talented Armidale printmaker Lizzie Horne who captures the essence of the wild rivers of New England on paper.”
The Inner/Space: Helen Eager exhibition is the latest of a series NERAM has staged highlighting significant Australian women artists including Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda, Sally Gabori, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Hilarie Mais, Barbara McKay and Aida Tomescu.
A partnership with Utopia Art Sydney, this significant survey exhibition examines Helen progression from interiors and still lifes to the pure abstract images that she is known for today.
With works sourced from the NERAM collection, Utopia Art Sydney, and the artist herself, Inner/Space celebrates Eager’s passion for colour, light, and deconstruction.
“We are so privileged to have been able to partner with Utopia Art Sydney to bring a survey exhibition of on one of Australia’s preeminent contemporary abstract painters to NERAM,” said Rachael.
“I am personally a huge fan of Helen Eager’s work, so I am so excited for this exhibition which shows her creative evolution over four decades of making art.”
The fifth and largest exhibition opening on Friday November 17 is Clay on Country, ceramics of the central desert which is toured by Artback NT with support from the Australian Government’s Visions of Australia program.
This impressive survey of ceramic practice includes over 30 artists and more than 100 objects. Some are established ceramic artists others are incorporating clay into their practice for the first time, but all have produced accomplished insightful and contemporary works that reflect the culturally and historically rich and complex region where they live and work.
“We are delighted to once again be working with Artback NT to bring an outstanding selection of artworks from the Central Desert to NERAM, this time focussing of ceramic practice,” said Rachael.
Tickets for the opening night are free but bookings are essential. Visit www.neram.com.au/event/opening-night/
There will be a free Artist Talk with Helen Eager held on Saturday November 16 from 10.30 to 11.30am and a ceramics workshop with Maria Vanhees on Saturday November 22. Bookings for these events can be made at www.neram.com.au.
Like what you’re reading? Support The New England Times by making a small contribution today and help us keep delivering local news paywall-free. Support now