Colour, creativity, community shine in Australian-first exhibition

LARGE-scale art experience Sunnyside is open at the Mining Exchange featuring the first major Australian installation by renowned UK artist Morag Myerscough.

The inaugural program is on until Sunday 23 November and Myerscough’s major work, Chasing Sunbeams, transforms the venue into a colourful and bold space.

Myerscough took inspiration from workshops she held with community members earlier this year.

“When you’re making work, putting a piece into a community, it’s important that they feel like they are part of the work,” she said.

“If people feel part of it, it empowers people… they see what the possibilities are and how art can transform your thought process.”

The artwork includes many large flowers which came from drawings by community members.

“This is a big space which was really wonderful but it’s also about the scale of us,” Myerscough said.

“In a way, we’re little animals now in here compared to the flowers and it’s the scale and strength of nature.”

Sunnyside is presented by creative studio The Social Crew and funded by the City of Ballarat and Visit Victoria.

“I wanted to do something different that was fun and colourful and big, and I was looking for something I could do in a different context,” Belinda Collins, creator of Sunnyside, said.

“Coming out of COVID was really grim so I thought if I try and make something bright and happy and fun, how could I do that.”

Alongside Myerscough’s work are contributions from the local community, including a soundscape from musician and composer Raul Sanchez i Jorge.

Textile installation Karndorr (Tracks), which came from workshops led by Wadawurrung Traditional Owner and Aboriginal artist Jenna Oldaker, can be found in Hop Lane.

The program also includes contributions from Siobhan Finn, Tegan Crosbie, Pauline O’Shannessy-Dowling and Carly Pitts.

For more information visit the Sunnyside website.