Inside The Gallery

Artist and engineer Majid Rabet came to Australia via Indonesia, and was detained by Australian Immigration, firstly at Christmas Island, and then at Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney.

While there - for two years - to help ease the anxiety of his situation, he put his skills and inspiration to work. Majid noticed discarded material in the refuse area of the Centre which he knew he could re-purpose into usable things.

Majid Rabet made many other things to make his life, and the lives of his fellow detainees easier and more comfortable. Good friend of this podcast Pedram Khosronejad (Adjunct Professor at the School of Social Sciences at Western Sydney University) spoke to Majid at a recent exhibition, and asked about his journey, his work, and his plans for the future. 

Majid's work acquired by the Powerhouse in Sydney is available to view here:

https://collection.maas.museum/set/8217

Majid's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majrabet/?hl=en

A transcript of this interview is available for download HERE. The transcriptions are made possible by support from the Australian Arts Channel.

Artists John Klein and Sally Ryan both separately chose Sydney designer and media presenter Claudia Chan Shaw as their subject for entry into this year's Archibald Art Prize. Hear how the artists differed in their approach to representing Claudia, how they prepared and undertook the sittings, and their impressions of each other's work.

This year, 949 Archibald entries were received, with 57 selected for final judging, currently on display at the Art Gallery of NSW. A further 34 works not selected for the official exhibition are on curated display at S.H Ervin Gallery's Salon des Refusés.

A transcript of this interview is available for download HERE. The transcriptions are made possible by support from the Australian Arts Channel.

Victoria’s TarraWarra Biennial is underway until mid-July, featuring works curated by Dr Léuli Eshrāghi, focusing on the interconnectedness of the peoples of Australia, Asia, and the Great Ocean. The exhibition is titled 'ua usiusi faʻavaʻasavili', a Sāmoan proverb which means ‘the canoe obeys the wind’. The proverb is demonstrative of Great Ocean celestial navigation practices, following centuries of European and Asian colonial occupations. 

This episode features Dr Eshrāghi discussing the exhibition, their background, and identifying new trends in contemporary Australian art. 

A transcript of this interview is available for download HERE. The transcriptions are made possible by support from the Australian Arts Channel.

Sydney gallery and art consultancy Curatorial+Co. is moving their physical gallery space to a new home in Woolloomooloo. Founder and gallery owner Sophie Vander speaks with Tim Stackpool about discovering the fortuitous new space, the change in image this might mean for the gallery, and about the evolution and challenges of managing a commercial gallery in 2023.

The gallery features an expansive 150 square-metre exhibition space, measuring five metres in height, alongside an additional 150 square-metre storage and office space. It is fronted by 17 metres of glass, inviting passers-by to view Curatorial+Co.’s eclectic and ever-changing range of works, with displays evolving almost every week to showcase a variety of new artists.

A transcript of this interview is available for download HERE. The transcriptions are made possible by support from the Australian Arts Channel.

Canadian contemporary artist Anthony Ricciardi has made a big impact these past few years, with collections being showcased globally in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Manchester, Montreal, Sao Paolo, and now in Sydney thanks to gallerist Louise Reilly at Audrey Fine Art.

He has curated large-scale artwork and clothing for notable celebrities such as Demi Lovato, Bad Bunny, Post Malone, Shaquille O’Neill and many more. He's also collaborated with major brands such as Disney, Adidas, Coors Light and L’Oreal.

But as Anthony tells Tim Stackpool, his story isn't typical. From Canada, he went to Alabama State University on a baseball scholarship, then spent five years working as an analyst for an investment fund, but decided to leave the comfort and security of corporate finance to pursue his art

A transcript of this episode can be found here, made possible by support from the Australian Arts Channel.

A new and immersive contemporary arts festival is scheduled for the picturesque South Coast town of Berry from June 22 to 25, 2023. OpenField Arts Festival will showcase contemporary art in and around the town in unique non-museum venues, including halls, community spaces and natural reserves.

Festival Co-Director and acclaimed Australian musician Lenka Kripac, a local Shoalhaven resident, speaks with Tim Stackpool about the increasing numbers of artists and professionals moving to the region due to its unique beauty and lifestyle, and the increasing desire for cultural engagement.

Fostered by a local group of creatives, the largely-free festival has already confirmed 21 high calibre artists, including critically acclaimed photo media artist and local resident Tamara Dean. 

Other celebrated artists participating in the festival that have chosen to base themselves in the Shoalhaven include Glenn Barkley, Sophie Cape, Sarah Enright, Anna Glynn, James Gulliver Hancock, Bonnie Porter Green, and Michael Purdy. They will exhibit alongside visiting artists including Tina Fox, Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro, Jess MacNeil, and Emma Saunders.

A transcript of this episode can be found here, made possible by support from the Australian Arts Channel.