An exhibition celebrating 25 years of ‘Primavera’ The Museum of Contemporary Art’s (MCA) annual showcase of the works people under the age of 30, has come to the Glasshouse.
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For many artists, Primavera marks the start of a long relationship with the MCA and since 1992, 206 artists have been showcased with the MCA acquiring over 230 works for their collection.
The new exhibition includes artworks that were first exhibited in a Primavera exhibition and works made many years afterwards said MCA director, Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE.
“Established in 1992, Primavera is one of the longest running exhibitions in the country and has proved a significant platform for artists at an early stage in their career,” Ms Macgregor said.
“The exhibition at the Glasshouse, Primavera at 25, is a time to reflect and applaud the achievements of former Primavera artists who have gone on to exhibit both nationally and internationally and play a significant role in the development of contemporary art practice in Australia.”
Curator Megan Robson said the exhibition at the Glasshouse is a chance for people to celebrate the remarkable talent in Australia.
“An anniversary presents a moment for reflection, an opportunity in which to consider the past and contemplate the future,” Ms Robson said.
“Taking this significant milestone as a departure point, Primavera at 25 brings together works by artists, who have previously exhibited in Primavera, that explore concepts of transformation, time and history.
“A number of works in the exhibition, including artworks by Nell, Rebecca Baumann, Gemma Smith and Ross Manning, transform in front of our eyes, spinning and turning, shimmering and sparkling, or shape shifting to create new forms.
“Time is explored by Tim Silver and Emma White in works that record time, mark set intervals or deliberately age; whilst Sangeeta Sandrasegar draws upon personal and shared memories.”
Danie Mellor, Pedro Wonaeamirri, David Noonan and Constanze Zikos also consider relationships to the past by their use of classical motifs and forms, reflect on our cultural histories or reinterpret traditional designs using contemporary materials.
“The artists in the exhibition have used a number of different mediums, from sculpture to paint and textiles there really is quite a diversity to the exhibition,” she said.
“In the exhibition there are 19 artists or artist groups who have items on display, ranging from some of the very first pieces to be exhibited at Primavera as well as artists who are still emerging.”
The exhibition opens on Friday, June 15 and will end on August 19.
Artist Gemma Smith will also be doing a live interactive handling of her work to show off its dynamic nature and followed by a free artist talk with curator Megan Robson on June 16 at 11am.
