Toward Finland

While the Kvinna, Nainen of Finland, Sweden work hard to curate the exhibition - here is a preview of the Australian eO contribution.....

eO Gallery

Fredrika Runeberg

Fiona Doyle


FREDRIKA RUNEBERG - WOMAN FOR HER TIME AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST (1807-1879)

Fredrika Runeberg, née Tengström, is known for being the wife of Finnish national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg, but she was also one of the most accomplished women
of her time. In addition to being an author, she is considered to be the first female newspaper reporter in Finland. In Porvoo, she established a women's association and a school for destitute girls, also writing opinion pieces about women's issues, art and language issues.

The year 2007 marks the 200th anniversary of Fredrika Runeberg's birth, wich Porvoo will celebrate by holding celebrations on Runeberg Day, February 5, and her birthday, September 2. An exhibition opens at the Home of J.L. Runeberg Museum in late spring, running until the end of 2007. Link

eO members are proud to be a part of the Kvinna!Nainen!Woman! the theme being 'self portrait':

'The idea is to gather self-portraits from women from all over the world, independent of nationality, language, age, or (arts-) education and show these in an exciting and, for Pargas, different exhibition, that celebrates diversity and shows different approaches to art. For this reason, all entrants will be accepted. Some of the artworks will be selected and hung in a ‘traditional’ way, while others will become part of a strong installation that will fill one (or more) of the gallery spaces. The hanging of works will be handled in an indiscriminative way; the work of professional artists will not be prioritized to the works of so called ‘amateur artists’. ' Sandra Nyberg (Curator).

Postcard from Vietnam

eO artist Robyn Wainman and family have recently returned from a backpacking trip to Vietnam.



In this emailed "postcard", Robyn makes comment on Vietnam's contemporary art culture and in particular, the work of twin brothers Le Ngoc ThanH and Le Duc Hai. Their work can be found here

"Tamara Lempicka appropriations and any other painting you may want - all over Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) - you walk into the galleries and see the artists reproducing from a meagre post card size!

Away from Saigon (the Copy City) there are brilliant artists being shown in galleries
in the funniest locations - conceptual and bloody brilliant artists - with massive accreditations and European exhibitions under there belts. I have been blown away with the contemporary works (many in lacquer work) that are shown in down town poverty areas.

The starting prices are not cheap (approx $900 US for 1mt sq. as an average), but that is before haggling for a 'happy' price! - that is 'happy for them and happy for us"!

There has been many works that I would have haggled for at another time. The Vietnamese artist works are so out there, but when you meet the artist, they are ordinary, and usually middle aged, simple 'males' who must be considered radical amongst there own. I did not come across a female artist, but that doesn't surprise
me as the female is still a second class citizen in Vietnam, and lesser than all if she is the mother of daughters only! Even now, the doctors lie to pregnant mums about the sex of their babies until they are into their seventh month if they
are carrying a girl baby, to avoid abortion - as they are 'women without voice' if they don't first bear a son. Many times over the last three weeks I have been congratulated on my 'powerful voice', as the mother of two sons! - if only they knew!!

In Saigon we met a professor of social (something), who lectures in Australia and England on the inequality of Vietnamese females and socialist doctrines that could bring about his assassination if it wasn't for the powerful few that he has in his pocket.

The dramatic difference in the social equality explodes as you travel from north to south. The people in the north are decades behind those in the south, with a visible difference in each province. The people have put the war behind them, but those in the rural north would have no comprehension of what has been gained in the south. Our last day in ‘Nam took us to the 'Remnant Museum' - a strange name for a mainly photographic recollection of the atrocities of the war. There is little reference to
Australia’s contribution - it is the US who altered the destiny of Vietnam - the US have a lot to answer for, as we know, but when seen graphically depicted, as this museum does, there remains so many unanswered questions.

Getting heavy now - change of subject…….."

Attention! Huom! Obs.! eO Women

Caterina van Hemessen
Self Portrait
1548
oil on canvas
Offentliche Kunstsammlung, Basil


eO members have been invited to contribute self portraits to an international exhibition for women to be held in Finland in June –

KVINNA!
NAINEN!
WOMAN!

Translations:

Kvinna is Swedish for Woman
Nainen is Finnish for Woman


The first self-directed workshop will be held on 6th of May from 11am to 3.30pm with a possibility of another one a fortnight later.
Cost is $10 which covers tea, coffee, facilities, postage and administration.
This is an opportunity to socialise with other artists while enjoying our art practise.

If you cannot make the workshop but would like to contribute, please contact me for further details.

Spots are limited so book soon to avoid disappointment.
For more details please phone Sharyn Walker on 0403395297 or email @ eo_inc.hotmail.com

Spaces and Places

eO will have a representative at the next meeting of "Spaces and Places", Tuesday 24th April (for more information, go to Backpage), as Gosford Council prepares a report for a “Cultural Spaces and Places Framework”.

If you would like to contribute ideas, comments etc. please email me or post a comment here.

Nature - Naturally

Nature - Naturally

Renate Leyer captures her personal response with this new body of work to be exhibited 20 to 22 April, The Studio Gallery, Gosford Regional Art Gallery - 36 Webb St, East Gosford.

Opening Friday 6.30pm

enquiries: rleyer@tac.com.au



Reef


Poppies


The Habitat


Garden Space


Rock Erosion

Changeling: Response from the Mayor

The following is the response from Mr Maher dated 29 March 2007, received 3 April 2007...

Photographic Exhibition 'Changeling: Childhood and the Uncanny'

Thank you for taking the time to write to me on behalf of the eO Committee regarding your concerns about the early closure of the above-mentioned exhibition. Let me preface my response by saying that we are very proud of the Gosford Regional Gallery and the high standard of exhibitions, level of professional development opportunities and artist support and community linkages that have been achieved in the relatively short period it has been open. These achievements have only been possible through the expertise and efforts of the staff, whom we also support completely.

Undoubtedly, the 'Changeling' exhibition received an unprecedented amount of negative and positive feedback that was recorded in the visitor book at the Gallery, through letters to Gosford City Council staff and Councillors and through direct representations to Councillors, including me -through the entire exhibition period. It was only after an article in the local paper that made claims of child pornography that the exhibition was closed ahead of schedule. This was not Council censorship of the artists' work, but rather an attempt by Gosford City Council to ensure the works would not be trivialised as a consequence of the articles that appeared in the papers and the public comments which referred to the works being child pornography.

Contemporary art practice currently does have a place in Gosford. Contemporary art continues to be a key component in the Gosford Regional Gallery exhibition program - through exhibitions such as 'Dawn Light', "Night Walks' and 'Emerging'.

Thank you again for your correspondence in relation to this matter.

Yours sincerely
Councillor Laurie Maher
MAYOR

.

In relation to the timeliness of the response, correspondence was also received today from T J Thirwell, Director, Community Services And Organisation Development:

Letter Regarding the Photographic Exhibition 'Changeling:
Childhood and the Uncanny'
I have discussed with the Mayor the response to your letter of 7 February 2007.

Unfortunately an error occurred in the tasking of the letter by Council Staff and hence this caused the delay in responding.

A letter has been drafted in response now and has been forwarded to the Mayor for his signature.

Once again I apologise for the delay in responding.