Yesterday I went for a short walk around my new neighborhood to see what street art is out and about. I was pleasantly surprised to find something everything block.
There was a mix of grafffiti, stencil work and paste ups, including some yarn bombing, which always makes me smile.
I had intentions of walking to Newcastle Beach to reminisce of the legal walls and to perhaps find a remnant from that coloured past.
Instead, I happened to wander into Curve Gallery, which had been on my ‘To Do’ list for a number of weeks. I was more than pleasantly suprised by the content of their current exhibition.
I knew the concept was that directors, Wayne Heaton and Lisa Who, were running two contemporary art spaces that created international dialogue between UK and Australia. What I didn’t l know is how exciting the canon is which Curve Gallery are presenting works through.
Newcastle (finally) has a fresh set of eyes to see our amazing cultural scene, gifting us with an opportunity to say something that converses some of the key themes that make art the amazing career that it is. Works were conceptually strong, visually appealing and the collected works, which paired artists whom have not met, was refreshing.
Anyone who needs to feel inspired (which, really, is all of us – right?) should go in and see their gallery space. The curatorial direction is exciting to have in this unique place that we have and we certainly could gain from strengthening our international ties. Social media helps but there’s something tangible about being able to see works by artists from Ireland (of New York photographs), next to well-established and known local artists, including some local surprises. Surprises have an important place and so to does Curve Gallery.
Find them here:
37 Watt Street (Cnr of King)
Newcastle
Website: http://www.curvegallery.com/
Curve is proudly supported by Renew Newcastle.
I would love to write more about the exhibition itself but it’s more important for you to make the physical visit to the space. You will be pleased to find poignant installations, beautiful photography, interesting sculptures and fantastic site specific works. Its too hard for me to pick a favourite, yet with my canon so focused on my upcoming visit to New York, I must commend the work by Irish artist SCAN for his works based on beautifully graffitied doors in the New York. The works remind us of the important of collaboration, even anonymously in the night.
I was also very interested in work by UK artist, Robyn Woolston, which featured a powerful floor installation, echoing thought-provoking tales of coal trade links between Newcastle UK and our own coal city.
