Hope and Optimism from Art Collective WA
/Trevor Vickers, Breakfast Variations, Projection, 2016; image courtesy sno contemporary art projects, Sydney
Given the current climate of Sydney's art scene - closures of TAFE and university art programs, changes to the city's most dynamic art schools, shrinking budgets for museum acquisitions and the challenges of attracting new patronage to commercial galleries - the current exhibition showing at Sydney Non Objective (SNO) in Marrickville is very timely.
The exhibition comes from across the nation and is brought to us by Perth group Art Collective WA, who featured in Art Monthly's April WA focus edition. The situation Sydney finds itself in was similarly experienced on the west coast some four years ago. Galleries closed their doors in financial hardship and Perth artists were left to flounder. This prompted the birth of Art Collective WA, taking inspiration from Melbourne's artist initiative Pinacotheca.
The four artists showing at SNO are all members of the collective that works to support established WA artists. Helen Smith, Jeremy Kirwan-Ward, Trevor Vickers and Jurek Wybraniec are internationally exhibiting abstract artists with studios based in Fremantle and Perth. The SNO show invites audiences to see each individual's exploration in minimal abstraction.
Ultimately, the show, which runs until 28 August 2016, celebrates hope and renewal in times of adversity.
Helen Smith, Reunification Series # 70 , 2016, Found image assemblages; image courtesy the artist and SNO contemporary art projects, Sydney
