MUTCH EXCITEMENT OVER WINDOW ART

His work, titled Shelter II, is a sculptural installation that employs concrete, plaster, commercial shelving, and polyurethane, described by Mutch as “poignantly reminiscent of the idea of a doomsday bunker”.

With an uncanny resonance with the grey salt lakes around Beeac, the work and the lake share some reflection on the issue of climate, and by implication, on the state of the contemporary world.

Originally from Barongarook in the Otways, Mutch now lives in Melbourne.

He uses concrete as a symbol of the manmade, built environment.

“With Shelter II, we are confronted by cast objects that are rough yet well finished, their materiality suggesting both fragility and fortification.” The work incorporates shelves that are well stocked with canned food and drink in preparation of some external conflict. The items seem to be decaying as they sit there waiting for the next apocalypse.

According to the essay that accompanied an earlier exhibition, David Ashley Kerr said there was an intangible, ambiguous sense of causality with the piece.

The window is on the federation building on Main Street that was used as an automotive workshop and showroom for the Gainger Bros.

The rejuvenated window is now dedicated to showing provocative artwork from around the country, set up as an artist-run initiative.

The not-for-profit space is now inviting proposals for single work exhibitions.

Mutch’s work will be in the window until May 3. On the final day of showing, he will offer a talk and a tour of the local lakes from 2pm.

Head to windowspace-beeac@blogspot.

com for profiles on each artist exhibited in the window.