Backspace artists channel home

RECENTLY unveiled Backspace exhibition, NEST, at The Art Gallery of Ballarat is a collection of mixed media pieces by five local artists.

VAMP, or Visual Artists Mothers Posse, sees the creatives channel their commonalities – being mothers and students of Federation University’s Arts Academy – into a variety of different pieces.

Wendy Sheridan is a member of the collective said for the group decided to focus on the theme ‘nest’ as a word and what that means to each of them.

“We all pretty much work around our kitchen tables, kids and family and with COVID, we’ve all interpreted the word nest in our own way,” she said.

“Our exhibition was originally scheduled for April last year, then we had lockdown but once the gallery opened again, we rescheduled the exhibition and most of our work is a combination of early works and things done over the last few months.

“I mainly work with cyanotypes, my work has become about home being not only our safe and secure place but also being a place of hurt, heartache and pain, it addresses themes about losing ourselves as mums throughout the process of trying to support everyone around us.”

Another VAMP Collective artist Sarah Canham added, “The idea of the exhibition prompted our discussion about all the things we had in common like our passions and themes, even though we have different styles and we think the art world is missing the mother’s point of view.”

Utilising mediums including drawing, sculpture and ceramics, the variety of works displayed beside one another is indicative of the transformative nature of home and how the idea of nest can mean something different for everyone.

“I’ve done a series of nests, literally interpreting the word nest, and I looked at climate change, habitat loss and environmental degradation,” VAMP artist Katherine Douglas said.

“Last summer was black summer, so I actually used bushfire charcoal to draw those nests so it’s a commentary of home and the fragility of home.”

Ms Canham added, “With all of us, we had a lot of responsibility and challenges with work, art, children, learning from home so it was a rollercoaster ride but it was great to have support that we found in each other.”

The VAMP Collective’s exhibition NEST is on display in The Ballarat Art Gallery’s Backspace Gallery until 9 May.