Often it takes going behind the surface and behind the scenes to explore the myriad of ways art can affect our imaginations. The latest exhibition at the Heide Museum of Modern Art – aptly named Beneath the Surface, Behind the Scenes – does just that as it considers art as a generative force and as a complex form of language, investigation and theatre.
The exhibition sees contributing Latin American and Australian artists respond to themes of instability, where they have recognised forms of erasure and critically engaged with difficult histories to explore the collateral impact on our society and our environment.
Highlights from Latin America include Ecuadorian artist Estefanía Peñafiel Loaiza, whose installation Figurantes explores the ways individuals are defined and dehumanised using newspaper extracts from across the globe; Brazilian artist Berna Reale’s moving image work, Palomo; and Peruvian artist Ximena Garrido-Lecca has contributed a large-scale woven copper wall to pay homage to Indigenous Peruvian textile traditions.
Highlights from Australia include an installation by Lauren Brincat, a comparison of a selection of paint-splattered fabric drop cloths and floor coverings for audiences to interact with; a series of intricate collages by Gunditjmara and Djabwurrung artist Hayley Millar Baker; and a large-scale sculpture as a memorial for the lost and threatened corals of the Great Barrier Reef by Nicholas Mangan.
The full list of participating artists include:
Alexander Apóstol (Venezuela), Tatiana Blass (Brazil), Lauren Brincat (Australia), Christian Capurro (Australia), Elena Damiani (Peru), Marlon de Azambuja (Brazil), Matías Duville (Argentina), Gloria Sebastián Fierro (Colombia), Ximena Garrido-Lecca (Peru), Arturo Hernández Alcázar (Mexico), Nadia Hernández (Venezuela/Australia), André Komatsu (Brazil), Liliana Porter (Argentina), Marilá Dardot (Brazil), Nicholas Mangan (Australia), Jorge Magyaroff (Colombia), Hayley Millar Baker Gunditjmara/Djabwurrung (Australia), Estefanía Peñafiel Loaiza (Ecuador/France), Berna Reale (Brazil) and Steven Rendall (Australia).
Running until October 22, 2023, you can book tickets to see 'Beneath the Surface, Behind the Scenes' via the Heide Museum of Modern Art website here.
