CASULA.- Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre explores power in all its forms with a FREE launch day (2 – 4pm, Saturday 30 March, 2019, unveiling three incredible exhibitions from renowned contemporary artists.
Launching will be: Creator, a collection of boundary-pushing sculptures by Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran; Penelope Cain’s provocative exploration of coal power in Interregnum; and Anatomies by Robert Hague, as part of his 2016 Blake Established Artists Residency. All three exhibitions run from 30 March – 12 May 2019.
“For our next round of exciting exhibitions, it’s all about power, power, power… and we’ve got a massive line-up of exhibitions from renowned artists to match!” said CPAC Director, Craig Donarski.
“We’re thrilled to present the very first Western Sydney show from Ramesh Mario-Nithiyendran, who grew up in Western Sydney, and has exhibited around the world, including a major solo show at the National Gallery; a solo show from Penelope Cain, who has exhibited internationally from London to Taipei; and a jaw-dropping series of works by the talented New Zealand artist Robert Hague!” he said.
“It’s the next installment of our stacked celebration of Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre’s 25 year anniversary. So come along, enjoy some delectable snacks from Bellbird, pick up a glass of wine on the house, and be the first to soak up the cutting-edge experiences on offer!” he said.
Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran’s Creator topples the traditional boundaries of figurative sculpture and traditional ceramic. Presenting a stimulating mix of Hindu temple iconography and museum displays, Nithiyendran directly challenges museum practices around Asian faith-based objects.
Named for the power-shifting period between rulers, Interregnum is Penelope Cain’s timely exploration of coal power in Australia. Cain explores shifting landscapes of coal power, diving back 250 million years ago to the Paleozoic period, to CPAC’s history as a coal power station, through to then-Treasurer Scott Morrison infamously brandishing a lump of coal in parliament.
Robert Hague’s Anatomies is an interrogation of the foundations of power in contemporary western society. Spanning a diverse range of mediums from marble and steel sculptures, to video installation, Hague’s borrows classical Western art techniques to tell jarring and uncomfortable stories of our national history. The exhibition also includes a collaboration with Damien Shen - winner of Blake Emerging Artist Award in the same year.
