Collective on show at Art Space

A LOCAL art group launched their first show of 2024 at the Ballarat Art Space recently.

More than three years on from their Emergence show, the Soldiers Hill Artist Collective has returned to the site to host a new exhibition, SHAC@ARTSPACE.

Featuring between two to four works from 20 SHAC members, curator Helmut Stenzel said a major theme of the show is about revealing older, unexhibited pieces.

“They’re all new works that haven’t been seen by the public or previously exhibited,” he said. “Some of them can be historic. Mine for example come from 2020 but it’s remained in drawers.

“That’s how it can work for everybody. This doesn’t have to be work that’s completed in the last six or 12 months. That’s the theme this time around.”

The show launched on Friday last week with the ABC’s Steve Martin as keynote speaker.

Works range from sculptural pieces to photography, weaving, paintings, tapestries, linocut, to models, AI, and video.

SHAC member Neale Thompson will be displaying two sculptural furniture pieces created within the last three months.

He said a major challenge in curating is always in finding the balance between the placement of works.

“It’s about having all those things in the right spot in the space we’re working in,” he said.

“I think they’ve improved the lighting at Art Space since we were last here so that’ll definitely make the current exhibition more appealing.”

Stenzel said the group is pushing for a greater presence from its exhibitors for their current show.

“When people come to the exhibition, the artists will be there to have dialogue about their concepts and what their works are about,” he said.

“That’ll be happening throughout the show. It’s very much about getting the people not just to come in and look, but to get an understanding of why people work in their techniques and how they’re created.”

SHAC’s Art Space exhibition will run until Sunday 18 February with the show will be open from 2pm to 6pm from Wednesdays to Fridays, as well as 10am to 5pm, and 10am to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays respectively.