Artist From Rural WA Exhibits at WAG
Published on 19 June 2024
This winter Wangaratta Art Gallery welcomes national touring exhibition The Good by Western Australian artist Anna Louise Richardson. Richardson’s practice centres around rural life and the drama present in everyday reality. This major solo exhibition promises to resonate with the Wangaratta community.
Working primarily in large scale drawing, Richardson’s work renders realistic scenes that speak strongly to her experience of rural life as a member of a multi-generational farming family. The Good emerges from Richardson’s broader investigations into the complex relationships between humans and the natural world, tinged by grief and the competing demands of nurturing new life. In a world increasingly defined by division and hardship, Richardson’s work points to the necessary act of radical optimism needed to seek goodness in all things.
Artist Anna Louise Richardson says:
“My work is autobiographical, chronicling my life through the objects around me, objects that are steeped in meaning and memory, yet are present in many people’s realities. The scale of my drawings brings their stories to life. I hope that The Good will bring something familiar to regional audiences nationwide and spark a connection between my life and theirs. Together we can see the good in all things.”
The Good is co-curated by Rachel Arndt, Director of Wangaratta Art Gallery and Lee-Anne Hall, Director of Wagga Wagga Art Gallery. The exhibition is currently touring nationwide through Museums & Galleries of NSW. It was first shown at The Condensery - Somerset Regional Art Gallery, QLD in 2023 then went to Granville Regional Art Gallery and has just finished it’s run at Wagga Wagga Art Gallery. It will eventually be seen in 11 galleries across four states with funding through the Federal Government’s principal arts investment and advisory body, Creative Australia.
The exhibition was initially conceived for its resonances with communities across the country, many who have experienced prolonged periods of hardship. As Rachel Arndt explains:
“The Good is the culmination of Anna Louise Richardson’s explorations into her layered relationships with the natural world, coloured by love, loss, and the complexities of motherhood. Her works reverberate meaning and reflect moments of connection for her and her family – pillow stacks, daisy chains, beef carcasses, ingredients for cooking, the products of the farm and the objects necessary for survival in a rural context. The exhibition is both catalyst and opportunity for audiences across the country to explore what the ‘good’ means within their lives, their families, and communities.”
Exhibition Information
The Good 29 June - 11 August 2024. Gallery 1, Wangaratta Art Gallery, 56 Ovens Street, Wangaratta. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Sunday, 10am - 4pm.
Opening Reception Friday 28 June from 5.30pm. Formally opened by the exhibition’s co-curator Dr Lee-Anne Hall, Director, Wagga Wagga Art Gallery. All welcome. To book your free ticket, please visit: www.wangarattaartgallery.com.au
The launch will also celebrate the opening of Fearless, an exhibition of textile art by artist Flossie Peitsch, presented in Gallery 2.
For further information, please contact Gallery Director, Rachel Arndt on r.arndt@wangaratta.vic.gov.au