Tue 30 October 2018 6pm – 7:30pm
Pricing: Guests: $15.00 / Members: free
Location: ACE Open Lion Arts Precinct
Presenter: CHEB, Bridget Currie, Tony Rosella
Public Art panel discussion
How do artists navigate the increase in scale, opportunity and budget within the Public Art realm?
Emerging and established artists working within Public Art discuss their experiences within the burgeoning industry.
Discussing experiences in writing and delivering a strong pitch, how to collaborate with industry (manufacturing/outsourcing and the pitfalls to avoid.
Through a short presentation from each speaker and a Q&A panel discussion attendees will experience the different approaches to pitching and working on a Public Art commission, including the rewarding and frustrating aspects of a project. Matthew Ives, Cultural Development Coordinator, City of Unley will join the presenters for the panel Q&A.
SPEAKERS
CHEBART
Artists Deb Jones and Christine Cholewa began collaborating over seven years ago when they realised it was more fun working together. The collaboration started at JamFactory where they managed the daily operations of the hot glass studio, training program and studio commissions. In 2012 they dubbed their partnership CHEBart. While Jones and Cholewa maintain separate exhibition practices, they work together on larger public art projects and some exhibition work. With the aim of making work that looks great, functions well and is thoughtful, they don’t preference any one material or set approach when working on public commissions and instead let each opportunity shape their practice in new ways.
CHEBart’s portfolio spans from the fun and engaging to the sleek and subtle. Adelaide locals may be familiar with Terrazzo Trees and Branchracks, a commission celebrating 175 years of Adelaide City Council, or The Space Between, a memorial that acknowledges the pain and grief of past forced adoptions in South Australia. They also specialise in the functional. Bike racks, benches, workspaces and fencing are just some of the projects you will find sprawled around the city infused with their signature blend of innovation and simplicity.
BRIDGET CURRIE
Bridget Currie was born in 1979 on Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia. Graduating from a Master of Visual Arts at the University of South Australia in 2006, she has exhibited widely, participating in the Research Program at the CCA Kitakyushu Japan (2007-08) and from August 2011 to June 2012 working in Sweden on a Samstag Scholarship. She recently returned to Adelaide after living in Bilbao, Spain. Her work has been shown at The Australian Experimental Art Foundation, Centre for Contemporary Art Kitakyushu, Mejan Gallery Stockholm, Artspace, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, The Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia, Greenaway Art Gallery, GrantPirrie, Ryan Renshaw and numerous other independent and artist run art spaces.
Currie works in sculpture, photography, performance and video, but her work has a strong awareness of the history of sculpture and the philosophy of spatiality. At once delicate and awkward, the organically derived forms of her sculptural work tread the precarious ground of emotional resonance, sustainable production and formal integrity.
TONY ROSELLA
Tony is currently working as a dedicated professional artist, sculptor and metalworker working mainly in the areas of public art, commissioned based projects and creating his own works. His formal training commenced in 1984 at North Adelaide School of Art along with woodwork and blacksmithing technical courses. He then undertook a BAFA at Sydney College of the Arts. Tony also has a Diploma of Education and an Engineering mechanical qualification (Fitting and Turning).
Tony has been self-employed now for 25 years. Originally his work focused mainly on wrought iron, unique metal design objects and sculpture, this included several solo exhibitions. Progressively he reshaped his practice to incorporate his sculptural roots/ training and have collaborated on, designed and constructed more significant commercial and public works.
Tony is a founding member of George St Studios, a commercial collaborative studio from which he currently operates. This unique professional, commercial facility has facilitated many major projects and works as an artistic creative collaborative hub that supports the creation of significant works.
Image: CHEB, Perpetual Sun, 2018, image by Sweet Lime Photo and courtesy of the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters