International artist to speak at Artspace Mackay

Renowned international artist Simryn Gill and curator of Contemporary Asian Art at Queensland Art Gallery, Russell Storer will join Artspace director Michael Wardell for an Artspace Mackay special event, In conversation with Simryn Gill and Russell Storer on Friday, January 7 from 6pm.

This unique event will provide residents with a deeper insight into the artist’s practice in a relaxed conversational format that promises to be a richly informative and entertaining evening.

Community Services and Facilities portfolio councillor Karen May said this particular exhibition has put the Mackay region on the international art circuit.

“Artspace Mackay is the only regional gallery in Australia that has been offered the opportunity to show Simryn Gill: Gathering, which now has been on show in the McAleese Gallery since the first week in November,” Cr May said.

“In addition to showcasing the exhibition to residents, we now get this exciting opportunity to host an intimate and personal event with Simryn which is something that I hope is well attended because it’s really a one-off opportunity,” she said.

Simryn Gill has exhibited widely throughout Australia and internationally including the 2006 Singapore Biennale, the 2008 Biennale of Sydney, and the 1999 Venice Biennale.

Her art practice considers how we might experience place as an intersection of personal and collective histories and geographies, and has been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Tate Modern, London and the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC.

The Museum of Contemporary Art is also touring the exhibition to Australian and international venues including the Anne and Gordon Samstag Museum of Art (Adelaide), Queensland Art Gallery (Brisbane), Galerie Petronas (Kuala Lumpur).

Cr May said now in its final weeks it would be a shame to miss the exhibition which is only on display in the McAleese Gallery at Artspace Mackay until January 9.

Contact: Melissa Dunn

Phone: 1300 MACKAY (1300 622 529)