ART WORKS
ART WORKS is a collaborative program of residencies, curatorial mentorship and creative engagements, designed in partnership with the City of Adelaide to provide a city-based platform for artists, curators and writers to pursue new ways of working and engaging with audiences.
In its fourth year, ART WORKS 2021 presents three Artist in Residence opportunities within the City of Adelaide ArtPOD, a Writer in Residence within the Adelaide City Library and an Emerging Curators Program mentored by Guildhouse, presenting three exhibitions within the Adelaide Town Hall and Mankurri-api Kuu / Reconciliation Room. These extensive artist engagements deliver on the City’s Cultural Strategy 2020-24 for Adelaide to be recognised as a cultural incubator where people, enterprises and audiences flourish.
ART WORKS is delivered by Guildhouse in partnership with the City of Adelaide.
Artist in Residence
Artists with a socially-engaged practice will be based at the City of Adelaide’s ArtPOD and collaborate with engaged communities. This residency will explore at least one key element of directions identified in the City of Adelaide’s Strategic Plan to culminate in an exhibition, demonstration, performance or event.
2021: Sue Ninham
Sue Ninham will be in residence at the City of Adelaide ArtPOD from November 2021 to February 2022.
The focus of her residency will be to create an oversized textile work that draws on the public’s responses to news headlines during the course of residency.
2021: Ruby Chew
Ruby Chew will be in residence at the City of Adelaide ArtPOD from July to November 2021.
During this time, Ruby will be drawing on her experience as a teaching artist to create new work informed by engagement with the local community.
2021: Rebecca McEwan
Rebecca McEwan will be in residence at the City of Adelaide ArtPOD from the end of March to July 2021.
She will be exploring the human connection to water by delving into the stories and history of Karrawirra Parri (River Torrens) and creating new work that reconnects with this significant waterway.
2020: Jane Skeer
Jane Skeer will be in residence at the ArtPOD from September 2020 – February 2021. She will be working on a new body of work for exhibition.
In this residency Jane is immersing herself in urban culture to discuss, rethink and continue current research on commerce and trade.
2020: Jasmine Ann Dixon
Jasmine Ann Dixon was in residence at the ArtPOD from February – August 2020. She worked on a new series of paintings for exhibition in 2020 and 2021.
2019: Negative Space
Negative Space is a community info-shop/art space facilitated by Alycia Bennett and Florian Cinco in collaboration with a number of artists from Australia and the Philippines. They created a space for artists, creatives, activists and thinkers to come together, collaborate and create outcomes that open a discussion surrounding social issues that communities face.
2019: Brad Lay
Brad’s project Central Bio-District (CBD) was a community driven project designed to investigate, promote and artistically interpret the often cryptic biodiversity of the City of Adelaide, through direct engagement with local residents, visitors to the city, and the Kaurna custodians of the land. The Minor Works building was transformed into a hub for visitors to contribute their encounters with biodiversity to a body of research, whilst site specific interventions employed novel and creative techniques to highlight the non-human lifeforms of the city. A closing event incorporated community encounters and the creative outcomes of the artist.
2018: Kaspar Schmidt Mumm
Kaspar Schmidt Mumm continued his quest to develop a language for global citizens. This residency acted as forum for the extension of an already established work IMMI. IMMI are an unidentified culture living in the cracks of society. By observing the archetypes of all our cultures they have begun to create a new hybrid one. Previous, current, and new audiences were drawn in to explore, discover, worship, and create how we connect with cultural isolation.
Writer in Residence
The writer will engage with the artists in residence and the emerging curator to respond to themes and ideas that are developing across these programs. The resulting work will document the projects undertaken and enable storytelling.
2021: Connal Lee
Connal will engage with the ART WORKS Artists in Residence and the Emerging Curator to respond to themes and ideas that are developing across these programs. The resulting work will document the projects undertaken and enable storytelling.
He will be based at the Adelaide City Library from April to September 2021.
2020: Susan Charlton
Susan Charlton is a writer and curator, specialising in collaborative projects with artists and archives, communities and cultures. She has recently returned to live in Adelaide after working in film, museums and archives in Sydney.
2019: Kate Larsen
During her time as Writer in Residence Kate proposed to create a new collection of short-form text and picture-based (meme) poetry to be published via social media and installed at appropriate points within the Minor Works Building. The poems directly responded to the site, residency, fellow residents and the broader community (both on- and off-line), highlighting Adelaide as a smart, connected and creative city. Working within a social-engagement framework, the project encouraged others to write and post their own poetry in response (both those that engage digitally or in person), connecting the residency with the broader online poetry community in South Australia and beyond.
2018: Rayleen Forester
Rayleen completed a series of responses to the site and those who have participated in its activation. Focusing on the city as a space of authentic experiences these written works encouraged greater interaction with the building and its new inhabitants.
Emerging Curator
The emerging curator will facilitate broad cultural engagement and audience development through a program of artist and writers in residence, exhibitions and public programs, supported through embedded professional mentoring.
2021: Ann-Marie Green
Ann-Marie Green will be based at Guildhouse for 1 day per week throughout 2021 and will be liaising closely with the 2021 ART WORKS Artists in Residence and Writer in Residence.
She will be curating three exhibitions of South Australian artists that will be presented at the Adelaide Town Hall Mankurri-api Kuu (Reconciliation room) and First Floor Gallery.
2020: Steph Cibich
Steph will be based at Guildhouse for 1 day per week throughout 2020 and will be liaising closely with the 2020 Art Works Artists in Residence and Writer in Residence. She will also be curating three exhibitions of South Australian artists that will be presented at the Adelaide Town Hall Mankurri-api Kuu (Reconciliation room) and First Floor Gallery.
Exhibitions & Events
2021
Exhibition: Biophilia
Biophilia explores the idea that humans possess an innate tendency to connect with other life forms. This intuitive relationship is explored through the lens of established and early career artists Ahli Atomalia Emu (Amanda Radomi), Carly Tarkari Dodd, Gail Hocking, Mark Kimber, Brad Lay, Rebecca McEwan, Deborah Sleeman and James Tylor.
Collectively, these works set a post-pandemic challenge to renew our focus on local environments and recognise their essential role in our wellbeing.
Communal Writing with Connal Lee
Join ART WORKS Writer in Residence Connal Lee for 30 minutes and participate in a communal writing project.
Take this opportunity to contribute to a community ‘exquisite corpse’; a project where participants are invited respond to a weekly theme. Each person will write two or three sentences on a piece of paper. They then fold the paper leaving only the last line of their writing visible for the next person to add to. This project will explore the relationship between philosophy and creative writing, connecting strangers through words and embracing chance and uncertainty – themes Connal is available to discuss.
Booking times available between 1 and 4 pm on Fridays through to the end of September at City Library.
Is Nature Conscious? Philosopher's talk with Connal Lee
ART WORKS Emerging Curator Ann-Marie Green introduces Biophilia, followed by a discussion of Artist in Residence Rebecca McEwan’s ArtPOD residency, before a philosopher’s talk led by Writer in Residence Connal Lee.
The philosopher’s talk explores the mysteries of consciousness and ask whether nature can be thought of as a conscious entity. Philosophers and scientists have grappled with the complex question of what it means for humans and animals to be thought of as conscious; key themes of memory, capacity to feel pleasure and pain and awareness of the world emerge. This talk seeks audience discussion around the question of whether nature is conscious and if so, what are the implications of this?
Moral Imagination and the Writing Process with Dr Connal Lee
‘Does engaging with art, literature and story-telling make you a more ethical person?’ This lunchtime workshop for writers, artists and creative people of all levels of ability will explore the relationship between moral imagination and the writing process.
Exhibition: PRACTICE
PRACTICE explores idea that ‘art is for all’, inspired by ArtPOD artist in residence Ruby Chew. Artists working across media including collage, assemblage, painting, printmaking, and video have been chosen for their innovative use of materials, and their unique world perspective.
Featuring works by Ruby Chew, Callum Docherty, James Dodd, Lucia Dohrmann, Jackie Saunders, Damien Shen and Laura Wills, PRACTICE attempts to make sense of the world, discuss issues, and ask us to consider possibilities from new perspectives.
PRACTICE Audio described tour with Emma Bedford
An audio described highlights tour of the exhibition PRACTICE, curated by Ann-Marie Green.
This is a behind-the-scenes live audio described tour for blind and vision impaired visitors. Tactile elements will also be available to give further insights into artists’ processes of making.
PRACTICE Auslan-interpreted curator’s tour and artist talks
An Auslan-interpreted curator’s tour and artist talks for the ART WORKS PRACTICE exhibition.
Hear from Emerging Curator Ann-Marie Green, Artist in Residence at Art POD Ruby Chew, and artists Callum Docherty and Lucia Dohrmann who will share some tactile elements to give further insights into their processes of making.
Drop in collage workshop with Ruby Chew
An informal collage workshop with ART WORKS Artist in Residence Ruby Chew.
Experiment with collage materials, create your own unique artwork or linger a little longer to add to a larger collaborative work; it’s up to you! You do not need any experience to participate. Materials will be provided.
Explore the moral imagination with Connal Lee
‘Does engaging with art, literature and story-telling make you a more ethical person?’ This lunchtime workshop for writers, artists and creative people of all levels of ability will explore the relationship between moral imagination and the writing process.
Collage workshops with Ruby Chew
Join us for an informal collage workshop with ART WORKS Artist in Residence Ruby Chew.
Experiment with collage materials, create your own unique artwork or linger a little longer to add to a larger collaborative work; it’s up to you!
2020
Exhibition: S P A C E S
S P A C E S explores the way we navigate through and experience our surroundings.
Examined through the lens of emerging and established South Australian artists, the works in this exhibition resonate with existing interpretations of ‘everyday spaces’ and encourage new meanings which align with a globalised, COVID-safe environment.
S P A C E S includes work by ART WORKS Artist in Residence Jane Skeer, Steph Fuller, Jonathan Kim, Hailey Lane, Tara Rowhani-Farid, Jane Skeer, Darren Siwes, Rhoda Tjitayi and Tony Wilson.
S P A C E S: Finissage In Conversation
ART WORKS Writer in Residence Susan Charlton will discuss her residency at Adelaide City Library and Jane Skeer’s residency at City of Adelaide ArtPOD.
Emerging Curator Steph Cibich will lead a walk and talk around the exhibition joined by exhibiting artists Darren Siwes and Steph Fuller.
Exhibition: You're Only Human, After All
You’re only human, after all offers a safe and immersive space to consider these ideas as expressed through art. Inspired by ART WORKS Artist in Residence, Jasmine Ann Dixon and her investigations into emotionally charged paintings, this exhibition features a breadth of emerging and established South Australian artists. Alongside Dixon is the work of Maxwell Callaghan, Tony Kearney, Anna Platten, Margaret Richards, Lee Walter and Raymond Zada. These artists draw on themes of emotional expression and human connectedness in an eclectic display of works of various mediums and styles. In this way, You’re only human, after all offers creative insight into the authentic, relatable and sometimes uncomfortable truths regarding how it feels to be a human being.
You're Only Human, After All: In Conversation
In this online event for the SALA Festival, ART WORKS Emerging Curator Steph Cibich and artists Raymond Zada and Lee Walter discussed the exhibition and featured works from You’re only human, after all followed by a discussion between ART WORKS Writer in Residence Susan Charlton and ART WORKS Artist in Residence Jasmine Ann Dixon.
Exhibition: Our Future in the Landscape
Our Future in the Landscape harnessed the power of multiple voices to illuminate urban and ecological responses to climate change, as explored through the lens of South Australian artists. The exhibition featured work by Nici Cumpston, Louise Flaherty, Jake Holmes, James Tylor, Lara Tilbrook and the SA Artists for Climate Action collective.
Our Future in the Landscape: Finissage and Guided Tour
ART WORKS 2020 Emerging Curator Steph Cibich lead a guided walk and talk of the exhibition Our Future in the Landscape.
Steph and the contributing artists provided an overview of the curatorial context and an insight into the selected works. This was an informal event where conversations and questions encouraged.
2019
Art and Fiction book club: Negative Space & People Get Ready
This book club discussed broad themes including art and activism, how manifestos can be used to support artistic movements, and the work that Negative Space has been facilitating.
This event was led by independent curator Eleanor Scicchitano and the Negative Space collective and discussed the links between the text People Get Ready, and their residency at the Minor Works Building.
Cassie Thring In Conversation with Steph Cibich
The Art History and Curatorship Alumni Network Committee (AHCAN) delivered this second event in its 2019 speaker series. The recipient of AHCAN’s Emerging Curator Program for 2019, Steph Cibich was in conversation with Cassie Thring, SA Artist and Chair of Floating Goose Studios. This salon event reflected on Steph’s experience of developing an exhibition for the Floating Goose Gallery, working within an Artist Run Initiative, and how this propelled her curatorial career. The discussion explored what is involved in exhibiting in an ARI for curators and artists alike, and was followed by networking drinks.
Negative Space, Open Studio & Closing Party
The event involved sharing the collaborative works formed throughout the duration of their residency and activities through-out the day that included art making, skill sharing, cooking, Really Really Free Market and an open mic/jam. Negative Space encouraged an open and inclusive environment, uniting communities and creating local networks through social action.
Poetry-athon & Micro-Poetry Slam
Kate Larsen in a community poetry-athon to mark the end of her residency (from 12-4pm on Sunday 22 September), attempted to cover the walls of the Minor Works Building with poetry in the space of one afternoon.
The poetry-athon was followed by an ART WORKS residency sharing and micro-poetry slam (from 4-5pm), where attendees could sign up to share their own short pieces of #AdelaidePoetry in one of the sixty-second slots.
Activism and Art walking tour
Producer, curator and writer Julianne Pierce’s walking tour explored political activism via places, artworks and other sites of interest throughout the city. Starting off at the front steps of Parliament House on North Terrace this tour explored SA political history before winding south to finish up with a cuppa at the Minor Works Building off Sturt Street. Artist collective in residence at the Minor Works Building Negative Space encouraged creatives, activists and thinkers to collaborate and discuss social issues that communities face.
Serena Wong In Conversation with Lauren Mustillo
The Art History and Curatorship Alumni Network Committee presented the first event in its 2019 Speakers Series. Serena Wong, Arts and Cultural Development Officer for the City of Mount Gambier and curator for the Riddoch Art Gallery, spoke about her time at the 2019 Venice Bienniale as part of the Australia Council for the Arts Emerging Professionals Program. She was then joined in conversation by Lauren Mustillo, Visual Arts Program Manager, Country Arts SA to discuss regional opportunities, curating and contemporary art.
Art and Fiction book club: Tarryn Gill and Lincoln in the Bardo
This free book club led by independent curator Eleanor Scicchitano explored links between Tricksters by Tarryn Gill, presented as part of the 2019 Ramsay Art Prize at the Art Gallery of South Australia, and the novel Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. The book club also discussed themes within the Ramsay Art Prize more broadly.
The Dream of Home, Walking tour for FAD
What does public art tell us about who we are and where we live? Is it possible to understand a city through the art that it commissions and displays? The City of Adelaide is home to public art from across several decades and is woven into the very fabric of the city. Most often we pass it unseen or unacknowledged as it blends into the visual mosaic of urban life. From ‘The Forest of Dreams’ to the red brick sculpture ‘Songs of Australia, Volume Three, At Home’, this walk took a diagonal route across the city to explore public art and the idea of home.
Insta Poetry: a free digital poetry workshop
The internet has given birth to an exciting new world of digital poetry. Putting your poems onto Instagram (or other social media platforms) can connect you to a vibrant online community and expose your work to a much broader audience.
ART WORKS writer in residence Kate Larsen led this introduction to social media poetry and meme-making, and attendees spent some time writing your own #AdelaidePoetry inspired by this creative city.
Tiny Little Poems: a free community poetry workshop
ART WORKS writer in residence Kate Larsen led this introduction to short-form poetry. From haiku to free verse, attendees learnt about some of the types and rules of short poetry forms (and how to break them), and spend some time writing your own #AdelaidePoetry inspired by this creative city.
Exhibition: Brad Lay, Central Bio District
Over three months as part of the Central Bio District (CBD) project Brad Lay documented the wild plant and animal communities of the City of Adelaide, using the Minor Works Building as a base-camp for exploration and reflection.
A city is often assumed to be a place of human habitation. However, many other species live in wild communities among the human beings of Adelaide. Mostly their presence and activities go unnoticed, as people move through the city in a people focused manner. Central Bio District seeks to direct a focus towards the non-human inhabitants of the city, to investigate their activities, and to extend the notion of community beyond the human.
Storytelling through Illustration
This workshop was about removing the fear of putting mark on paper, extending a journaling practice, and opening the door to creativity.
Over the course of the three-week workshop, professional illustrator Fruzsi gave insights into working in the industry and took participants through watercolour techniques and some wonderful mind-opening exercises to encourage thinking outside the square. In addition to watercolour techniques, the use of POSCA pens, COPIC markers and ink were also explored. The aim is for these skills to extend well beyond the workshops, with the aid of the take-home kit which includes your very own Moleskine journal and fine-line pen.
Kobe's Drive, Kaspar Schmidt Mumm
Through collaboration Kaspar Schmidt Mumm and the IMMI collective are continually collecting ideas for their new cultural identity. Kobe Stutley and Kaspar created a video work during workshops at Adelaide City Library in November 2018 as an extension of his ART WORKS residency. The Media Lab in Kobe’s Drive contained the remnants of IMMI’s temporary appearance.
Storytelling through Illustration
This workshop was about removing the fear of putting mark on paper, extending a journaling practice, and opening the door to creativity.
Over the course of the three-week workshop, professional illustrator Fruzsi gave insights into working in the industry and took participants through watercolour techniques and some wonderful mind-opening exercises to encourage thinking outside the square. In addition to watercolour techniques, the use of POSCA pens, COPIC markers and ink were also explored. The aim is for these skills to extend well beyond the workshops, with the aid of the take-home kit which includes your very own Moleskine journal and fine-line pen.
2018
Green City Printmaking
In this hands-on workshop, printmaker Hanah Williams taught attendees about the magic of etching and intaglio printmaking! Over four weeks attendees learnt how to etch and print a metal plate using green printmaking techniques from experience gained at a residency at Zea May’s Green Printmaking School thanks to Helpmann Academy. Embracing the theme of cityscape, participants worked together to create an installation of a cityscape. Through collaboration, individual stories of home and city was shared and reflected.
Comic Zines
In this six-week series of workshops, comic artist, writer and illustrator Georgina Chadderton (known online as George Rex Comics) shared her professional knowledge about making comics, self-publishing, D.I.Y & zine culture. By the end of the course attendees had created a finished comic that they made into a limited print run and shared in a zine-swap in the final session.
Contemporary Paper Jewellery Workshop
Attendees gained an insight into the creative processes involved in contemporary jewellery making while learning intricate cutting, construction and mark making techniques like engraving and stamping using metallic coated paper and card stock.
ART WORKS News
Drop in collage workshop with Ruby Chew
Tuesday 12 October 11am, 1pm, and 3pm Location: City of Adelaide ArtPOD, 25 Pirie St, Adelaide Pricing: Free, bookings essential (places are limited) Featuring: ART WORKS Artist in Residence Ruby ChewJoin us for an informal collage workshop with ART WORKS Artist in...
The River and Death
Image: Connal Lee at the 'Biophilia: Is Nature Conscious? Philosophers talk with Connal Lee'. Photograph: Daniel Marks.The River and Death By ART WORKS 2021 Writer in Residence Connal Lee This piece of writing emerged from a discussion with Artist in Residence Rebecca...
Collage workshops with Ruby Chew
Tuesday 14 September 11am, 1pm, and 3pm Location: City of Adelaide ArtPOD, 25 Pirie St, Adelaide Pricing: Free, bookings essential (places are limited) Featuring: ART WORKS Artist in Residence Ruby ChewJoin us for an informal collage workshop with ART WORKS Artist in...
Images (L-R): Brad Lay, Central Bio District (installation view), 2019, photograph Daniel Marks; Rebecca McEwan in residence at the City of Adelaide ArtPOD, 2021, photograph Sam Roberts;; Connal Lee in residence at the Adelaide City Library, 2021, photograph Sam Roberts; ART WORKS Biophilia (installation view), 2021, photograph Sam Roberts; Lucia Dohrmann, Concentric Circles – Weft (Venetian Red & Green Oxide) (work-in-progress), 2020, photograph Emma Dohrmann; Steph Fuller, Quiet Street (detail), 2013 photograph courtesy the artist; Brad Lay, Corellas at at Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi, 2019, photograph courtesy the artist.