Towards Regrowth: Art Aid for Fire Relief represents the collective action of more than 50 contemporary artists in response to the unprecedented devastation caused by the ongoing bushfires. This 3-day, artist-led exhibition will include works by both Sutton Gallery artists and invited guests. All sales will be less the standard gallery commission and 100% of proceeds, as well as cash donations collected at the opening reception, will be donated to Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) and Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation.
While this exhibition has no overarching premise other than to support the collective response of artists to a national tragedy, perhaps a curatorial provocation arises in the form of its optimistic approach towards regrowth; how can we collectively prepare for a future in which the threats caused by global heating will only increase in frequency and severity? What are the pathways to affecting long-term sustainable practices within the commercial gallery sector and wider contemporary art community? How can we continue to harness the capacity of artistic practice and activity to support rejuvenation and regrowth of people, community and Country? In the first instance, we hope that this exhibition and act of coming together can help to mediate the despair associated with climate catastrophe by generating hope and seeding further action.
To request a catalogue, please email art@suttongallery.com.au
Firesticks Alliance is an Indigenous led network that aims to re-invigorate the use of cultural burning by facilitating cultural learning pathways to fire and land management. It is an initiative for Indigenous and non- Indigenous people to look after Country, share their experiences and collectively explore ways to achieve their goals.
Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria is the representative body for volunteer fire fighters in Victoria. Their Welfare Fund offers small grants to CFA volunteers, long serving former volunteers and their families, who are experiencing significant financial hardship. Typical cases involve prolonged illness, bereavement, loss of earnings, or the accommodation and travel costs associated with supporting a relative in hospital.
Aleks Danko, Alex Rizkalla, Amanda Marburg, Andrew Curtis, Anne Ferran, Anne-Marie May, Arlo Mountford, Brett Colquhoun, Catherine Bell, Christopher L G Hill, Colleen Ahern, Dan Moynihan, Daniel Noonan, Darcey Bella Arnold, David Egan, David Rosetzky, Elizabeth Gower, Eugene Carchesio, George Egerton-Warburton, Gian Manik, Gordon Bennett, Helen Johnson, Helga Groves, Irene Hanenbergh, Jackson Slattery, Jane Trengove, Jon Campbell, Julie Davies, Karen Black, Kate Beynon, Kate Smith, Lane Cormicj, Laresa Kosloff, Lindy Lee, Lisa Radford, Madeline Kidd, Masato Takasaka, Matt Hinkley, Mikala Dwyer, Mira Gojak, Nadine Christensen, Naomi Eller, Nicholas Mangan, Nick Selenitsch, Peter Robinson, Raafat Ishak, Rosslynd Piggott, Rudi Williams, Ruth Hutchinson, Sangeeta Sandrasegar, Sara Hughes, Sean Meilak, Sharon Goodwin, Simon Terrill, Tom Nicholson, Trevelyan Clay, Vivienne Binns + more.
Thank you to fellow sponsors Good Intentions Wine Co., Gage Road Brewing Co., Little Brunswick Wine Co. and Pidgeon Ward who have helped to make this initiative possible.
Anne-Marie May and Mira Gojak appear courtesy Murray White Room. Colleen Ahern, Irene Hanenbergh and Trevelyan Clay appear courtesy Neon Parc. Dan Moynihan appears courtesy Tolarno Galleries. Darcey Bella Arnold appears courtesy Reading Room. Lane Cormicj and Madeline Kidd appear courtesy Daine Singer. Jon Campbell appears courtesy Darren Knight Gallery. Mikala Dwyer appears coutesy Anna Schwartz Gallery. Nadine Christensen appears courtesy Sarah Scout Presents. Tom Nicholson appears courtesy Milani Gallery. Sangeeta Sandrasegar appears courtesy Niagara Galleries.
