Address: Lightbox

Opening Event : Studio Gallery, Level 2
Thursday 5 December 2024, 5:00pm – 7:00pm

Meet the Artist : Studio Gallery, Level 2
Saturday 7 December 2024, 10:00am – 3:00pm

Exhibition Dates :
Thursday 5 December 2024 – Friday 31 January 2025
**Installation viewable 24/7

The beauty and fragility of the southern ice cap and ocean captured in a single image by a unique three-dimensional artwork made with layered Perspex.

The Great Southern Ocean project is a collection of small artworks created specifically for exhibition at the Salamanca Art Centre Studio Gallery and Lightbox. The focal piece is Monument, a 3-dimensional painting on display in the Lightbox. This artwork was created by Beric Henderson, and made by applying small amounts of paint to sequential layers of clear Perspex and then assembling them together. The resulting holographic image reveals an iceberg forever captured in time. There are human and marine visitors above and below the waterline. The Monument artwork, together with the intricate drawings and paintings in the Studio Gallery, express a unique artistic vision of the power and beauty of the Southern ocean and Antarctic region.

This artwork was created by artist Beric Henderson, and inspired by his time as former Artist-in-Residence at the Salamanca Art Centre’s Artists’ Cottage in 2023. Since 2019 the artist has been producing an ever-growing body of ocean themed paintings and drawings, many of which have been shortlisted for national art prizes including the Mission to Seafarers (2022/2023), Adelaide Perry Drawing Award (2020/2021) and recently the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Award (2024). The artist is based in the warmer climate of the NSW mid-north coast but frequently visits Hobart to seek inspiration.

Exhibition Dates :
Tuesday 29 October – Monday 2 December 2024
**Installation viewable 24/7

In contrast to a fast world demanding instant gratification, the Series Home Grown by Henrietta Manning celebrates the joy of planting, harvesting and eating the produce of your own hands. Paintings inspired by the artist’s garden. Slow down and immerse yourself in the soil and the changing seasons, it’s good for the soul.

For the series Home Grown the artist is sharing her connection and pleasure derived from the just over one-acre block of land surrounding her home in Tasmania’s Huon Valley. Originally sparsely planted, and still a work in progress, it has been a steep learning curve, landscaping, and developing two working vegetable bunkers. Produce taken into the house, whether edible or as floral decoration, has been painted from life as intimate works combined with the trappings of home life or with glimpses through windows to the garden outside.

A garden is an extension of you and your home. It matters not whether it is in a single pot or on acreage, growing and nurturing life expands your world. Whatever your taste and passion leads you to grow, trees, shrubs, flowers, succulents, vegetables, fruit, nuts or herbs, you see life in the round. You become more aware of the small things, of life around you; butterfly’s moths, bees, the caterpillars, slugs, snails and worms, skinks and snakes. You reconnect with the seasons and changing weather. The struggle for life becomes more apparent as you nurture and then defend from predators.

Sometimes it can even be hard to pick or prune, to end the life of those you have tended for so long, at others it is a race to harvest at the perfect time before plants bolt or birds and possums get there first. The taste is sweeter and the satisfaction greater at every meal.

Not for you the anonymous supermarket flowers, fruit and vegetables but those carefully chosen by you from seed or seedling, nurtured into life, protected from predators and blight and harvested straight into your kitchen or carefully arranged in a vase. You know where they came from and how they were grown. You can choose varieties not mass produced and can grow free from chemicals. You can make a difference by keeping heritage varieties alive.

In a world of increasing financial, climate and food insecurity there is also a sense of safety and self-reliance looking at your own produce growing or stored in larder and freezer.

What better way to start your day than to let the chickens out, collect eggs and watch for every bud and burst of new life?

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Henrietta Manning

Henrietta Manning is a Contemporary Realist exhibiting since 1984 and currently living in Tasmania. A versatile artist, painting predominately from life, plein air and in the studio, series are developed for exhibition. Drawn to historic sites a recurring theme is the passage of time and how we live with and build upon the past. A recipient of an Australia Council Visual Arts/Craft Board ‘New Work Established Grant’ and finalist in Australian art awards such as The Wynne, Glover, Portia Geach, Waverly, Alice, Fishers Ghost, Eutick, Waterhouse and The Summer Exhibition in England. 

Exhibition Dates :
Thursday 3 – Sunday 27 October,2024
**Installation viewable 24/7

It’s a cake!

Celebrating Nolan School of Art‘s 25th Anniversary, and artists past and present.  

Installation by Halima Bhatti

Exhibition Dates :
Wednesday 31 July – Monday 30 September 2024
**Installation viewable 24/7

Whispers of Heritage showcases Arabic calligraphy through vases and an umbrella adorned with intricate symbols. The vases celebrate Arab culture and history, while the Silent Whisper umbrella symbolizes protection against unseen threats (as Islamophobia). This exhibit highlights the enduring legacy and contemporary relevance of Arab art in a captivating manner.

This exhibit showcases the profound beauty and significance of Arabic calligraphy through meticulously crafted vases and a unique umbrella, each adorned with intricate Arabic symbols and motifs. These pieces not only highlight the aesthetic allure of Arab art but also underscore its cultural and historical importance in the contemporary world.

The vases, with their elegant curves and detailed script, narrate tales of Arab heritage and wisdom, celebrating the timeless essence of Arabic language and art. Each motif is a reflection of a rich cultural tapestry, inviting viewers to explore and appreciate the depth and intricacy of Arab traditions.

These pieces form a harmonious dialogue between past and present, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the poetic and protective nature of Arabic art. Whispers of Heritage is a tribute to the enduring legacy of Arab culture and its profound relevance in today’s world.

Installation by Anne Buckingham

Self(ies) in Nature considers how the natural landscape is compromised by our desire to capture ourselves on screen. Displayed as images in phone cases, the delicate relationship is explored through abstracted cyanotypes and stitched sketches.

The installation Self(ies) in Nature explores our delicate relationship with nature and how that relationship can change focus when viewed through the lens of a phone.

Being in nature benefits us physically and emotionally, and nature in turn benefits from our understanding and respect for it.

This balance can be disturbed when we turn the lens to include ourselves and the perspective changes from nature in the spotlight, to merely being a backdrop to self.

Our need to be centre stage can diminish our ability to be truely present with nature. The artwork questions what is lost when we become the focal point and nature is the accessory.

The abstracted cyanotypes are a collaboration with nature and combine found natural objects and repurposed fabric. Cyanotypes are a form of camera-less photography which rely on the sun for processing and ultimately give nature the final say in the outcome.

The design of the installation highlights our tendency to display our achievements of being in nature. Sketched profiles suggest, however, the fleetingness of humans in comparison to the natural landscape, despite any attempts to dominate it. They are accompanied by thoughts of nature writers, who too, grapple with our complicated relationship with the environment.

The installation follows an Arts Residency at Salamanca Arts Centre.

Presented by Lorenz Cherry

“A Clown’s Selfie Saga: An Emotional Odyssey” explores the complexities of human emotions. Inspired by the concept of ‘selfies’ and staged moments in life, this artwork utilizes a melodramatic clown to convey the diverse range of feelings we reveal or conceal.

“A Clown’s Selfie Saga: An Emotional Odyssey” delves into the profound intricacies of human emotions and the façades we present to society. Inspired by the concept of staging moments and the ubiquitous ‘selfie’ culture, this artwork employs the symbolic figure of a melodramatic clown to convey the complex range of feelings we share or conceal.

Crafted from vintage machine knitting yarn meticulously sewn onto fabric, the material serves as a metaphor for life’s arduous journey, while the vibrant colors symbolize the joy that can be found amidst hardship.

At the heart of the exhibition lies a glimpse into the saga of life. From infectious laughter to profound sorrow, the clown mirrors the kaleidoscope of human emotions we either share with the world or keep hidden within.

Overall, “A Clown’s Selfie Saga: An Emotional Odyssey” seamlessly blends whimsy with societal reflection. It aims to ignite deeper conversations about empathy and understanding through its drama, humor, and storytelling.

Presented by The Spindle Tree

The Spindle Tree’s installation in the Lightbox is a “Looking Forward | Looking Back” over thirty years of creating beautiful fibre handicrafts, exhibiting craftsmanship and skills rarely seen. Classics, as well as contemporary design will be on display.

The Spindle Tree’s installation in the Lightbox is a “Looking Forward | Looking Back” over thirty years of creating beautiful fibre handicrafts, exhibiting craftsmanship and skills rarely seen.

Classics, as well as contemporary design will be on display.

Can you remember 35 years ago?

The 1st of June 1989 to be precise.

That’s the day The Spindle Tree opened its doors for the first time.

Way back when the members of the Guild wanted an outlet for their works, mainly weaving, so a group of Guild friends got together, discussing the possibility of a ‘shop’. So many questions to answer : where to open, costs, legality, membership, a co-op?

With the dedicated help of the Guild members a plan was formed. Meetings held. Mrs Sheila Beattie was by agreement voted Chair. Luckily her son Ian was a lawyer and was a great benefit in setting up the Co-Operative and how to frame the Constitution.

Today The Spindle Tree is still run on the same lines and conditions. Over the years many things have changed, but not the core objectives or values.

Tasmanian made. All natural fibres.

Where to place out ‘shop’? Not an easy task. Finally it was agreed the Salamanca Arts Centre would be ideal. The Spindle Tree was originally located where the main stairs are now. Eighteen months later The Spindle Tree moved to it’s present location in Space 009; it has been ‘home’ for over thirty years.

A peek at the many ways metal can be transformed when clever hands are let loose with hammers (and other tools).

Hammer and Hand is an icon of Salamanca; a metal worker’s collective which has been supporting emerging jewellers and blacksmiths, many straight from art school or TAFE, since its conception in 1995. Having seen 50 or so members over the years, it continues to be a crucible of intriguing, beautifully conceived and constructed, locally hand made objects, to wear, use or simply enjoy in your space.

‘In Memoriam’ is a tribute to the melancholic beauty of the animal remains that we see around us every day.

When I was eleven, I saw some older kids messing around with a dead bird in a fountain. They didn’t want to touch it, so they were flicking it at each other with a shoe. I waited until they were gone, and then I picked it up in my hands, apologised to it, took it to a garden bed, and buried it. I was a weird, unhygienic child, but I still think my heart was in the right place.

‘In Memoriam’ is intended to present animal remains in a way that inspires the same devastating awe with which one might regard images of a human skeleton. It is my wish to banish disgust, or any desire to dispose of or look away from dead animals. Whether they are killed by other animals, humans or the elements, their bodies are still evidence of something beautiful. Sometimes that beauty persists in an obvious way after they have passed, sometimes the manner of their passing makes it difficult to see, but I hope to convince you that it is still there.

PLEASE NOTE our lift is currently undergoing maintenance and repairs. Wheelchair access to levels 2 and 3 of the arts centre is currently unavailable.

Uncertain times are ahead.

Are we dangerously close to a cosmic shift in our way of life?

Are you ready for The Visit?

In this installation The Visit is taking place.

The Who, What, Where and When isn’t determined. We, as boxed humans filled to the brim of humanness thoughts, information, fears, desires, random useless emotions, some useful ones too, we stand and watch The Visit unfold.

We don’t know what to do, do we engage with and follow our new visitors, or do we stand back fearfully thinking they might be an enemy and here to do harm?

Taking inspiration from my employment as a gallery attendant, I observe visitors in many different stances, I closely watch their behavior – observing the observer.

Often I have seen visitors outside of their comfort zone, either being in the gallery in the first place, an alien space for some, or being confronted with ideas, visuals or sounds that disrupt their norm. I help expand their minds.

Would you dare go if you were invited to explore the unknown?

Ceramics and mosaics by Donna Ritchie.

Wire words written by Chris Hall.

Copper wire twisted by Donna and Chris.

Wire word text placed in the Lightbox Gallery reads as follows:

Nobody looks in the shadows

they assume that nothing is there

But look close into the shallows of dark

and something is shining, blinking, aware