Blacktown City Council - Media Re;lease - Public Art Plan For CBD Redevelopment

Blacktown City Council is inviting artists to get involved in the design and early construction phase of the redevelopment of the Warrick Lane precinct in the Blacktown CBD.

The Warrick Lane redevelopment will provide a 470-space underground carpark, a public plaza and park and 2 associated low rise buildings.

Blacktown City Mayor Stephen Bali said; “We’re inviting artists to become involved in the exciting 

Warrick Lane redevelopment that will transform our city centre.”

Blacktown City Council has developed the Warrick Lane Public Art Plan and is calling for expressions of interest from artists to undertake public art projects within the Warrick Lane precinct.

“We want to hear from professional artists with experience in delivering large scale public artworks, but we are also open to local and emerging artists who believe they have the capacity and resources to deliver this important project,” Mayor Bali said.

“The plan is to create art works in the precinct that reflect the complexity, vibrancy, history and cultural diversity of our city. We’re bringing the artists into the early design and construction stage of the project and not treating the public artworks as an afterthought,” Mayor Bali said.

“We’re not just planning to have the artworks in the open spaces but will also be looking to have art in the carpark and buildings.”

The selection process will be in two stages. The first stage calls for artists to submit an expression of interest outlining their credentials and ability to undertake the work but at this stage they will not be required to submit a design concept.

An expert panel will review the submissions and shortlist up to 5 artists who will be engaged and paid to develop and present their concept design for the site.

The final stage will see the selected artist or artists engaged to design, document, fabricate and install the works in collaboration with the project builder.

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Blacktown City Council is seeking artists to design and install public artworks in the Warrick Lane precinct.

Expressions of interest close on Wednesday, 7 August at 5pm. Further information is available at: www.blacktown.nsw.gov.au/warricklanepublicart

Blacktown City Council - Media Release - Arts Project To Honour And Acknowledge Symbolic Aboriginal Site In Blacktown

Media Release

25 May 2018

Ngara – Ngurangwa Byallara

(Listen, Hear, Think – The Place Speaks)

New artworks by leading Australian contemporary artists will

 be unveiled at the Blacktown Native Institution site at Ngara 

– Ngurangwa Byallara (Listen, Hear, Think – The Place

 Speaks) on Saturday, 9 June 2018.

Blacktown Arts and the Museum of Contemporary Art commissioned new works and installations by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists Tony Albert, Sharyn Egan and Moogahlin Performing Arts.

As part of their work, the artists address issues associated

with the history of the site, as the former home of the

 Blacktown Native Institution. This is one of the earliest

 known examples of the institutional removal of Aboriginal children from their families.

A key element of Ngara – Ngurangwa Byallara is the

 collaboration between artists and local Aboriginal

 communities to develop work which brings the spirit and

 culture of the site to life, and honours the site as a living

 memorial to Australia’s Stolen Generations.

“I am proud that Blacktown is home to one of the largest 

urban Aboriginal populations in Australia,” Blacktown City 

Mayor Stephen Bali MP said.

“The Blacktown Native Institution is a significant part of

 Blacktown’s identity – and the identity of this nation.

“While acknowledging past wrongs, through this project we 

also aim to celebrate the Darug peoples’ continuing cultural

 practices and connection to this place.

“Blacktown Arts has a long history of working with Aboriginal

 and Torres Strait Islander artists, and our communities

deserve to work with artists of international stature such as

 Tony Albert, Sharyn Egan and Moogahlin Performing Arts.

“We hope that this collaboration will shine a light on the

 important history of the Blacktown Native Institution site and

 the arts and cultural practices of Blacktown’s Aboriginal and

 Torres Strait Islander people.”

Ngara – Ngurangwa Byallara (Listen, Hear, Think – The

 Place Speaks) is part of the Blacktown Native Institution

Project, a collaboration between Blacktown Arts (an initiative 

of Blacktown City Council) and the Museum of Contemporary

 Art Australia (through their C3West Program). The project is 

supported by Landcom, Gadigal Information Service and 

Koori Radio.

The artist and their works

Ngara – Ngurangwa Byallara Queensland artist Tony

 Albert has assisted 10 local children and their families

 create Gubangala Gumadangyiningi (Lets honour his/her

 spirit) - a reimagining and honouring of the children who

 originally lived at the Institution.

A collection of objects created by Albert and his young

 collaborators will be utilised in a ceremony to reach across

 time to heal and share positive memories.

Sharyn Egan’s work is inspired by her personal experience

 of loss and displacement. “I’m a Nyoongar woman from

 Perth, Western Australia,” said Ms Egan.

“Being involved in the Blacktown Native Institution Project is

 quite special for me as I’m from the Stolen Generation as

 well. I’m working on flowers, as flowers are used for all 

occasions, sad, happy, joyous – it seems to cover all the

 emotions that are involved in this project.”

Sharyn’s work centres on sharing the practice of weaving

 with communities during the exchange of stories and

 experiences. She has worked with the Baabayn Aboriginal 

Corporation and local weavers to create a sculptural

 installation of 7 large-scale flannel flowers made of colourful

 marine rope. Native to the local area, this delicate flower will

 be transformed into a memorial to the Institution’s residents, 

as a semi-permanent installation at the Blacktown Native

 Institution site.

Sydney’s Moogahlin Performing Arts bring their expertise

 as storytellers and deep knowledge and experience of local

 community to Ngara – Ngurangwa Byallara with manuwi 

jam ya murong (footprints in the sand). This celebratory work

 honours local people who have grown up in Blacktown, with

 the creation of a large scale installation of the Darug totem –

 the long necked turtle, in collaboration with local community

 elders, children and families.

On Saturday, June 9 2018, the totem will come to life as the

 grounds for an evening of dance performance.

The details

Where:  Blacktown Native Institution site, corner Richmond 

Road and Rooty Hill Road North, Oakhurst. On-site parking

 is available, entry from Richmond Rd.

When: 4 pm – 8 pm on Saturday, 9 June 2018

Cost: Free

Parking: On-site parking is available, with entry from

 Richmond Rd

Blacktown Arts

Blacktown Arts is a recognised leader in the development of

 contemporary arts in Australia, presenting an award-winning

 curated program of exhibitions, performances, workshops, 

residencies and events. The organisation is committed to

 exploring dynamic, culturally diverse work that reflects

 Blacktown, its history and its communities. Blacktown Arts

 places Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and 

communities at the heart of its program to develop new work

 drawing on issues of local and global significance. The Leo

 Kelly Blacktown Arts is an initiative of Blacktown City Council

 and is supported by the NSW Government through Create

NSW.

Museum of Contemporary Art Australia

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is Australia’s 

leading museum dedicated to exhibiting, collecting and

interpreting the work of today’s living artists. Located on one

of the world’s most spectacular sites on the edge of Sydney

Harbour, the MCA presents a diverse program

of exhibitions and special events onsite, and also curates

touring exhibitions and community-led projects. One of the

Museum of Contemporary Art’s key programs, C3West, is

predicated on the belief that artists can bring unique value

to situations beyond the gallery context. Through careful 

brokerage processes, C3West creates contexts in which

artists work strategically with arts partners, businesses and

non-arts government organisations across Greater Sydney,

aligning corporate social investment strategies with

 community development. C3West has been assisted by the

 Australian Government through the Australia Council for the

 Arts, its arts funding and advisory body. C3West is supported

 by the Crown Resorts Foundation, Packer Family

 Foundation and Space.

Blacktown City Council - Media Release - Dark Sculpture Wns 2017 Blacktown Arts Prize

MEDIA RELEASE

EMBARGOED RELEASE

A dark sculpture invoking images of environmental destruction, the holocaust and death has won the 2017 Blacktown City Art Prize.

Tess Mehonoshen from Brisbane was awarded the prize for Measuring Loss, a thoughtful and tactile sculpture made of cement, clay, iron oxide and fabric.

The judges referred to the winning artwork as ‘slow release’ and said “the longer we spent with the work the more it touched on various subjects such as environmental destruction, death, the Holocaust, and loss of health due to mining,” they said in their judging report.

Highly Commended were Carol Ann Fitzgerald for Landscape and Memory – Wiradjuri Country, and Minka Gillian for Pink Outburst - A Self Portrait.

Kristone Capistrano of Rooty Hill was awarded the Local Artist Prize for Breath, an arresting yet optimistic depiction of a newborn baby. 

The judges said “the work was technically proficient, went beyond grace, and pointed to the future of multiculturalism in Blacktown”.

Highly Commended was Terry Murphy of Riverstone for Tabulae Unum Ex Oculis.

First prize in the Aboriginal Artist category was Naomi Grant for Dad’s Country.

The judges commended the artist’s contemporary style of blending Indigenous painting techniques with Western agricultural landscape depictions to create a fresh take on abstract painting.

Highly Commended was Peter Hinton for Quality of a Few Minutes #1 and 2  - A Study on Whitlam.

The judging panel: Khadim Ali (artist and Blacktown resident), Dominic Mersch (gallery owner and arts advocate) and Felicity Fenner (curator, academic and Director of UNSW Galleries), faced the difficult task of selecting winning works from a record number of 602 entries.

The judges were very impressed with the overall standard of entries which included nationally recognised artists alongside emerging local artists.

The Blacktown City Art Prize is proudly supported by Ford Land Company, WestLink M7, Blacktown Workers’ Club and the Sustainable Living Blacktown of Blacktown City Council.

At the launch of the 2017 Blacktown City Art prize, Council honoured the contribution of the late Councillor and former Mayor, Leo Kelly OAM, by re-naming Blacktown’s Arts Centre: The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre (see separate release).

The 2017 Blacktown City Art Prize will be exhibited from Saturday 2 December 2017 to Saturday 27 January 2018 at The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre, 78 Flushcombe Rd Blacktown. Admission is free. Visitors can cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award throughout the exhibition.

For further information, please contact Blacktown Arts Centre on 9839 6558 or artscentre@blacktown.nsw.gov.au

Tess Mehonoshen, Measuring Loss (Blacktown City Art Prize Winner)

Naomi Grant, Dad’s Country (Aboriginal Artist Prize Winner)

Kristone Capistrano, Breath (Local Artist Prize Winner)

The winner of the 2017 Blacktown City Art Prize, Measuring Loss, draws strong attention at the exhibition.


Aboriginal Artist category winner and former Blacktown resident Naomi Grant with Dad’s Country.

Aboriginal Artist category winner and former Blacktown resident Naomi Grant receives her certificate from Blacktown City Mayor, Stephen Bali MP.

For further information, please contact Blacktown Arts Centre on 9839 6558 or artscentre@blacktown.nsw.gov.au

Blacktown City Council - Media Release - Blacktown Arts Centre Presents Multi-art Form Celebration Of Filipino Culture

MEDIA RELEASE

7 September 2017

Blacktown Arts Centre is one of six key Sydney cultural institutions presenting one of the most significant explorations of Filipino art ever seen in Australia.

Balik Bayan (7 September – 2 November 2017), Blacktown Arts Centre’s part of The Bayanihan Philippine Art Project, is a multi-art form and community celebration project that will transform the centre into a gathering space to experience video, installation, painting, performance, film, community activations and events, featuring local and international artists with Filipino ancestry.

“In Blacktown, 34,000 people have Philippine ancestry, roughly 9% of our community,” said Councillor Stephen Bali, Mayor of Blacktown City.

“Balik Bayan acknowledges the significant and vibrant contribution our Filipino community makes to the cultural landscape of our City.”

Literally translated from the Tagalog language, balik means return and bayan means country.

Balik Bayan asks a central question: What does a ‘return to country’ mean for one of the world’s largest diaspora?

First commissioned by Urban Theatre Projects, Alwin Reamillo’s Bayanihan Hopping Spirit House represents the concept of Bayanihan in Filipino culture, the traditional practice of community group work in rural Philippines.

Filipino-Australians from Bondi to Blacktown have re-configured and re-constructed this evolving structure since its inception in 2013.

The house will ‘hop’ from the Peacock Gallery, Auburn, and take up residence in the Blacktown Arts Centre carpark as part of Balik Bayan.

Marikit Santiago explores how her Filipino-Australian culture manifests itself in the everyday. She creates iconography out of family portraits while exploring the current political unrest in the Philippines in her sculptures.

“If not for my art practice, I would not have realised or continued to seek the value of my Filipina ethnicity - a value that has become even more important since becoming a parent and being faced with the responsibility to extend family traditions and customs to the next generation,” said Ms Santiago.

Manila-based artist Leeroy New reimagines Blacktown Arts Centre's backyard through a spectacular large scale sculptural work.

Ala Paredes explores paper dolls as a reaction to her body becoming a “home” during pregnancy.

Acclaimed contemporary dancers (and sisters) Melanie and Marnie Palomares have collaborated with film-maker and musician Timothy Constable to create a dance film which also explores the idea of the body as a “home”.

“Our piece is about the idea of 'home' through many different perspectives; particularly the body as home, from literally housing an unborn child to approaching the body as a landscape,” said Marnie Palomares.

Caroline Garcia goes back to country through the lens of cultural hybridity and "piracy", exploring the Filipino body existing in other cultural contexts through film and installation.

Melissa Ramos plays with a literal return to country by editing and reframing film footage taken by her parents on their last Philippine visit.

Justin Shoulder and Bhenji Ra’s 4-part film work Ex Nilalang reframes Filipino mythology, exploring the present and future significance of pre-colonial concepts of sexuality.

Justin and Bhenji will also host their underground Club Ate in Blacktown for the first time on Saturday, 16 September 2017.

In addition to Club Ate, there are several other special events as part of Balik Bayan.

On Saturday, 16 September 2017, Filipino performance collective Sipat Lawin Ensemble presents Mahal Kita Future Bayan, a day-long community festival inspired by popular Filipino fiesta traditions.

From Friday, 6 October 2017 to Saturday, 4 November 2017, Robert Nery and Gabrielle Finnane will curate a weekly film program that charts excellence in Filipino cinema including iconic films such as Mondomanila (2012), Himala (1982) and Portrait of the Artist as a Filipino (1965).

Anino Shadowplay Collective closes the show with a short work around death and renewal on Thursday, 2 November 2017, timed during All Souls Day, a significant date in the Filipino cultural calendar.

Sydney Sonata Singers – the Filipino seniors choir of Blacktown – will contribute live performances at the opening and closing nights of the project.

“Filipino music is a major part of our culture and heritage, and is a binding thread that never fails to unite us,” said Louisa Tagudin, music director of Sydney Sonata Singers.

Download the full Balik Bayan program from https://blacktownarts.com.au/balik-bayan-program/.

The Bayanihan Philippine Art Project opened with the Art Gallery of NSW on 24 June 2017, and includes a series of exhibitions, performances, creative writing and community programs in multiple venues – Art Gallery of NSW, Blacktown Arts Centre, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Mosman Art Gallery, Peacock Gallery (Auburn), and Museums & Galleries of NSW – across Sydney.

Artist Robert Nery Photographer Joshua Morris	Artist Marikit Santiago Photographer Joshua Morris	Artists Marnie Palomares Photographer Joshua Morris
Artist Sydney Sonata Singers Photographer Joshua Morris	Artist Leeroy New Photographer Joshua Morris	Artists Ala Paredes Photographer Joshua Morris
Balate, Leeroy New, 2010. Electrical conduits and plastic cable ties. Photograph by Leeroy New.	Ex Nilalang Clubate by Justin Shoulder and Bhenji Ra, 2017.	Home, Melanie and Marnie Palomares, 2017. Photograph by Timothy Constable.

ABOUT BLACKTOWN ARTS CENTRE

Blacktown Arts Centre is a recognised leader in the development of contemporary arts in Australia. We support artistic innovation and offer exciting, new experiences for audiences through an award-winning curated program of exhibitions, performances, workshops, residencies and events. We are committed to making dynamic, culturally diverse work that reflects Blacktown, its history and its communities. We place Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities at the heart of our program to develop new work drawing on issues of local and global significance. This is how we make art.

CONNECT WITH BLACKTOWN ARTS CENTRE

Website blacktownarts.com.au

Email artscentre@blacktown.nsw.gov.au

Address 78 Flushcombe Rd Blacktown NSW 2148

Phone 02 9839 6558

Opening hours

Monday Closed

Tuesday 10am – 5pm

Wednesday 10am – 5pm

Thursday 10am – 5pm

Friday 10am – 5pm

Saturday 10am – 5pm

Sunday Closed