Framing Gravity, the 2011 AART.BOXX exhibition presented by Accessible Arts was held at Sydney College of the Arts over two weeks in October 2011. The exhibition was attended by 570 people and a range of public programs were well attended including artist talks and art making workshops.
Auburn based visual artist, Carla Wherby is the first recipient of an innovative new scholarship designed to improve access to arts and cultural funding for artists with disability. Wherby’s uses extraordinary graphic and representational skills in drawing to depict the complexity of war in political and social history alongside the resilience of the human spirit.
As part of the AART.BOXX initiative, Accessible Arts has secured funding from Arts NSW for a $4000 professional development scholarship for an individual artist included in this year’s exhibition.
Nine individuals from a competitive pool of 33 applications have been selected to form the committee for AART.BOXX 2011, Accessible Arts’ bi-annual national survey exhibition. Generating ideas and discussions that propel the committee, will commence in mid September 2010.News
Emerging artists strengthen links within arts & disability
On Thursday 29 October 2009, more than 250 audience members came to the Mori Gallery in Sydney for the opening of AART.BOXX, Accessible Arts’ national exhibition for artists with disability.
From Carla Wherby’s pen and ink collages of African-American entertainers at the entrance, to video art from Kevin Comty and Linda Wilken, the gallery was packed with viewers enjoying the works on display.
AART.BOXX was initially developed to address the lack of support and access to professional development for young artists with a disability. This year the exhibition was extended to emerging artists of all ages. A passionate and diverse community has been created with this variation, and strong representation from both the arts and disability sectors attended the opening, including Museums & Galleries NSW, Penrith Regional Gallery, The Festivalists, Studio Artes, Roomies and Miroma.
The exhibition was launched by Christine Morrow, coordinator of the Verge Gallery at the University of Sydney Union, with artist Scott Trevelyan and Accessible Arts CEO Sancha Donald also providing their perspective on the project.
This year’s artists talks have also added strength to the exhibition and to the professional development of the artists. Initially introduced at last year’s exhibition, the Conversations with AART.BOXX Artists program was coordinated by Jennifer Stockins and a group of about 30 people, with and without disability, attended the first gathering at the gallery on Saturday 31 October 2009. Four artists discussed their practice giving insight into the processes behind their art forms including printmaking, painting, filmmaking and sculptural work.
Lynda Strong, a prolific artist from Studio Artes in Northern Sydney relayed her experience with the assistance of artsworker Emma Johnston and Auslan interpretation. She talked about painting most days, either at home or at the Studio, and also spoke about her recent experience of exhibiting at Government House and Callan Park Gallery.
View the online gallery of works exhibited at this year's AART.BOXX exhibition.