WITH International Women\u2019s Day being celebrated last Friday, the brilliant work of local female artists is on public display at two locations in the Shire.<\/p>\n
The two \u2018MAPP Up in Lights\u2019 outdoor galleries at A.A. McLean Reserve in Ballan and the Village Green in Bacchus Marsh have a total of 14 spaces for art.<\/p>\n
Curated by Moorabool Shire Council\u2019s Arts and Culture team, these spaces are currently displaying works relating to this year\u2019s International Women\u2019s Day theme of \u2018Inspire Inclusion\u2019.<\/p>\n
Two of the artists who\u2019ve contributed works, Jane Gardner and Amelia Travers, spoke with the Moorabool News on what the display, and the works they\u2019ve created for it, mean to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cMine\u2019s a nature one, I only do nature work. Mine\u2019s called \u2018Planting the Seed\u2019, it\u2019s more a reference to womanhood and nurturing children,\u201d Ms Gardner said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe seed pods encase the seed and grow it, it\u2019s a feminine thing I think.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy piece doesn\u2019t have a title at the moment, but the gold shape is the border of Moorabool Shire, so I went quite literally with how it\u2019s connected to Moorabool,\u201d Ms Travers said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach of the silhouettes of people represent different forms of diversity women can share, with the different woods potentially representing different skin colours. Some of the silhouettes include transgender women, deaf women, blind women, et cetera.\u201d<\/p>\n
More broadly, the artists agreed, is that \u201cthis is what International Women\u2019s Day is all about\u201d \u2013 empowering women and amplifying their expressions and voices.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s fabulous to have art out on the street, whatever the shape and form. And I love that Council is doing something for International Women\u2019s Day,\u201d Ms Gardner said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAwareness around anything regarding women\u2019s rights, women\u2019s issues and diversity is crucial.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels proud. I think this is what International Women\u2019s Day should be, a space for women\u2019s voices about problems that affect us all,\u201d Ms Travers said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is exactly what it should be, it\u2019s awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
The installation of the artworks for International Women\u2019s Day followed a competitive Expression of Interest process, which closed on Sunday 25 February.<\/p>\n
The pieces will remain on display until mid-April, with around ten local artists\u2019 work on show.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WITH International Women\u2019s Day being celebrated last Friday, the brilliant work of local female artists is on public display at two locations in the Shire. The two \u2018MAPP Up in Lights\u2019 outdoor galleries at A.A. McLean Reserve in Ballan and the Village Green in Bacchus Marsh have a total of 14 spaces for art. Curated […]<\/p>\n