It may be surprising to find out that Chippendale boasts more than just the White Rabbit Art Gallery. In fact there are about 16 art galleries dotted through the area. This is a major surge from the lonely NG Art Gallery opened just 8 years ago.
Nicky Ginsberg is the founder/director of the NG Art Gallery and president of the Chippendale Creative Precinct (CCP). She is passionate about transforming and promoting the area to make Chippendale Sydney’s answer to New York’s Chelsea. The CCP commenced free monthly guided art walks on 7 March 2015 lasting around 2 hours through 5 of the 16 art galleries. It is anticipated that the walks will be from 2-4.30pm on the first Saturday of every month and rotate through different galleries over the year. Both gallery directors and featured artists talk at each gallery with plenty of time for viewing, buying and questions. This is an interesting enlightening intimate art experience which enhances viewing pleasure and provides the artists with immediate feedback.
On the first walk a sold out contingent of art lovers visited the NG Art Gallery, Spot81, MOP Gallery, Galerie pompom and the Carlton Space Project.
Some highlights are mentioned below.
NG Art Gallery’s Next Generation Exhibition featured National Art School graduates. Laura Sutton spoke about her angular wooden sculptures showing ‘movement through space’. Her artistic process of ‘art as play’ set a light mood for the rest of the tour.
Michelle Perry, the director of Spot81, has only recently joined the Chippendale precinct, after galleries in Dank Street and Newtown. Graham Kuo, an established artist, discussed his free dynamic abstracts and the links to Chinese philosophy.
Gallerie pompom had a Sound and Vision installation which viewers could walk through and amidst. Two of the four artists shared their experiences in collaborating for the first time to produce the work.
A more diverse range of artists exhibited at the MOP Gallery. Australia, Denmark and USA are represented in Paintingontopofitself. The rich deep colours of Peter Holm’s Midnight Edition propelled the viewer towards the painted furniture.
Returning to the work of National Art School graduates, the Next Generation Exhibition continued at the Carlton Project Space. The Space is part of Central Park, an area which is trying to incorporate and support art within its precinct. Print making, sculpture and painting were displayed. Oliver Wagner shone a light on his luminous lunar circles, by detailing his layered painting techniques using oil on canvas.
The tour just whetted viewers’ appetite for more art. The walk itself was very moderately paced allowing for an easy stroll between galleries.
The currently free guided gallery walks are from 2pm on the first Saturday of the month, with the next one being Saturday 11th April (varied due to Easter). It is scheduled to include White Rabbit Gallery, X88, Art Shine and The Commercial.
For further details and to book contact:
http://www.chippendalecreativeprecinct.com.au or phone 93182992