Student art aiming to activate mall

A NEW gallery space has opened in Hargreaves Mall and it’s showing off the creative works of La Trobe University students.

Known as Rookie, the space is operated by visual arts students, and associate professor Jacqueline Millner said it aims to give them a taste of being a professional artist.

“For some time, we’ve been dreaming of having a space in the city where students studying to be artists can have an opportunity to try out what it might be like to run galleries and exhibit their work,” she said.

Ms Millner said the window space next to the gallery has previously been used by students, however the City of Greater Bendigo approached the university to take part in the Hargreaves Mall activation strategy and supplied the space free of charge.

“The university contributed some of the funds to bring it up to spec, including building moveable walls which allows us to reconfigure the space,” she said.

She said the gallery could lead to more opportunities in the Mall, including displaying work on the electronic billboard opposite the space.

Arts student Annelise Henderson said it’s exciting to have a central space where work can be publicly exhibited.

“The Bendigo campus feels so isolated because it’s in Flora Hill, so being able to be in the centre of town and engage with the community is really great,” she said.

“In that window you can’t really do projection work or a sculpture where you can see 360 around it, so having the space is amazing.”

Fellow student Jackie de Haart said it’s great to see fellow students take pride in their art.

“We want people to come in and talk to us about our work, whether you love it or hate it, that’s the whole point of art; building that discussion,” she said.

“We’re hoping with this space we not only build a space for artists and particularly La Trobe artists, but we can involve the community in that discussion.”