How do you keep an art gallery and its priceless collection in people’s hearts and minds while the gallery itself is closed?

That was the conundrum facing the Benalla Art Gallery Foundation as it prepared for Victoria’s premier regional gallery to close for a prolonged period of time.

The shutdown is to allow for a multimillion-dollar refurbishment and extension, at the end of which the gallery will reopen bigger and better than ever.

While the community waits with bated breath for its grand reopening, the foundation found a unique way to share, not only some of its artworks, but also what they mean to local community members.

The ‘Our Gallery’ project sees local people, from diverse backgrounds, choose their favourite artwork and discuss what it is that draws them to it.

The foundation will then release the photos of those community members, with their chosen art and some words on why it resonates with them.

On Thursday, August 28, the first group of art-appreciators visited Benalla Art Gallery to choose their favoured artwork, have their photo taken by local photographer Stephen Winkler and share their thoughts.

While being asked not to show the chosen paintings, just yet, the Ensign was there to chat to some of the local people taking part in the project.

Deakin Haore

Deakin is a member of Tomorrow Today’s Full Impact Squad.

He said when Tomorrow Today youth engagement co-ordinator Alex Ross pitched the idea for one squad member to take part in the Our Gallery project, he put his hand up before she finished explaining what it was.

“I’ve always been interested in arts,” he said.

“I’ve picked a piece by John Cattapan called Raft City No. 5.

“It’s a painting of Melbourne. I’ve been to Melbourne a million times, I’ve seen almost all of it.

“But this is a side of Melbourne I’ve never seen before.

“It invokes a sense of unknowingness and that anything can change.

“I make a bold assumption that it’s Melbourne, seen through night-vision goggles.

“If you look at it too close, it’s a jumbled mess, but step back, and it’s a city.”

Deakin said it reminded him of the way he captured his preferred art form: music.

“I’m an artist. I write music,” he said.

“I write scribbles down. I have to get my ideas out of my head, so I scribble them down on a page, otherwise I’ll forget it.

“It reminds me of this painting. I see this painting, and it’s what the inside of my mind looks like. Scatterbrained thoughts. So it connects to me on that level.”

Phil Rees

Phil chose a painting called Cutting out the cattle at Kangatong, by Eugene Von Guerard.

“I felt quite honoured to be able to do this,” Phil said.

“I've loved that painting because it represents a lot for me because I come (from close to) where it was painted. I’ve been to the farm.

“The river that runs through that painting, it’s the same river that runs through our property.”

Phil said the artist had originally come to Australia during the gold rush.

“He was unsuccessful with the gold, but he had been a landscape painter in Austria,” he said.

So, Eugene started painting again in Australia.

“He’s now known as one of Australia’s leading artists between about 1850 and the 1880s,” Phil said.

“A lot of his paintings are used today (to inform) botanical and landscaping works, like the Tower Hill restoration.”

Angus Howell

“I chose a painting by an artist called Lindy Lee,” Angus said.

“Every time I come to the gallery, I come and have a look at this particular painting.

“Initially, when I look at it, I see a black canvas. In time, five to seven minutes later, she shows me something which is incredibly beautiful.”

Angus said he felt honoured and privileged to be involved in this project.

“I understand this particular function is part of continuing Benalla’s interest in the art here at the gallery,” he said.

“We’re very fortunate in Benalla that for over 50 years that we’ve had this amazing collection here.”

Benalla Art Gallery director Eric Nash said the project was a great initiative from the Gallery Foundation.

“It will help people really connect with art,“ he said.

“Art is subjective. People like different things for different reasons. Any reason somebody’s work resonates with somebody is completely valid.”

Eric said it had been lovely seeing people identifying different works, for different reasons.

“I think that’s lovely to explore why people are affected by a work or why it visually captures them,” he said.

“Also to see that some people are walking in the doors firmly in mind, having a favourite work, and understanding that people do have that level of affection for and connection with our collection.”

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Wednesday, 22nd February 2023

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