Peter Greco hears from Liz Nowell, Arts Project Australia Executive Director, about the 50 Birds Exhibition at the Collingwood Yards Gallery in Victoria. The exhibition recognises a combined 100 years of Arts advocacy by Arts Projects Australia and Arts Access Victoria.
More info: 50 Birds
Well, a fabulous sounding exhibition opening up later on this month and marking a very special occasion. Let's chat about it with Elizabeth Nowell, who's the executive director for Arts Project Australia. Elizabeth, it's lovely to meet you and thank you for your time. Thank you so much.
For having me.
Now, this is, well, quite a combination and combination of factors that are all coming together for a really interesting sounding exhibition.
Yeah, we're really excited. The exhibition is called 50 birds, and it's really a celebration of 100 years of disability advocacy. 50 years of Arts Project Australia and 50 years of Arts Access Victoria.
And has it all come together? Is it just coincidental that you kind of celebrate 50 years at the same time? And that adds up to 100? It must.
Have been. It must have been. I wasn't around 50 years ago, so I can't tell you exactly how the organisations got it, but, um, it is a kind of, uh, serendipitous moment that we're both celebrating such a significant anniversary. That Jubilee, I believe. Um, is it a jubilee? 50 years? Um, both celebrating 50 years this year. I think it's just probably a wonderful coincidence. So I don't couldn't tell you. Maybe that maybe there's something like deep within our history, but made it more intentional. But I dare say it was just a happy coincidence.
Well, celebrate the fact that it is. And it was. Now, what are you doing to kind of market? You've got a really fascinating exhibition there that's going to be kind of marking it.
Yeah. We, um, we've got an exhibition coming up at Collingwood Yards Gallery, art projects, Collingwood, our Yards Gallery called 50 birds, which is actually, um, curated by one of our studio artists, um, our Rosie O'Brien and, um, and one of our staff artists, um, Peggy Marlow. And it's bringing together the work of 14 artists from art project and art, uh, Victoria, Art Victoria. It kind of looking at the idea of um, of birds and in their expanded form and explore a kind of exploring the characters and the, the energy and the vitality of, um, bird life. Yeah.
Well, I read a little bit about what Rosie said about it. This is the first event that Rosie is curating for this particular occasion. Do you want to share some of the lovely things Rosie said about her role in this?
Well, I believe that she might be referring to talking about that. She sees herself as a flower. Yes. Yeah. And I think that that's, um, a really beautiful and insightful reflection, because I believe the first show that Rosie curated, um, she's primarily, primarily works as a visual artist. And I think that there's, you know, there's something really interesting to listen to that statement, but also something really beautiful in it. Um, and for us to reflect on the kind of human qualities in animals and, and plant life and our affinity with nature. And I was actually asked the other day what kind of bird I thought I was. And I think that that's, um, I think that's a really interesting reflection. Um, and that's I was going to ask you what kind of bird you think you are. I was going.
To say, given the fact that it's a Collingwood, uh, you know, a magpie might be the kind of overriding thing, mightn't it?
That's true. That's definitely true of our studio artists that are big fans. But I think I'd probably be a cockatoo because I'm fine.
Well, I certainly wouldn't be a flamingo. I don't think that would be my sort of way. But, uh, well, of course, being a South Australian, maybe I should just say a piping shrike. Ah.
Me too. That's very true. And I would never say that. Oh.
That's wonderful. I'm. You know, you've obviously made it to the big time. Actually, on a serious note, though, I mean, it's kind of celebrating 100 years of advocacy. And, I mean, it doesn't matter what sort of walk of life we talk about, particularly as far as people with disabilities go. You know, we're kind of, you know, 24 over seven advocating, aren't we?
Yeah, I think so. And I think advocacy can come from lots of different forms. I'm kind of new to working in the disability space. My background is largely in contemporary art, and, um, we're obviously a contemporary art organisation, but we work at that intersection of art and disability. And I think for us, because it's been more about, I guess, soft advocacy, um, it's really about we kind of advocate for our artists and, um, you know, support disability advocacy by, um, you know, giving space for our artists to, to be professional artists, to make the best work that they can and to be visible in the, in the contemporary art sector.
Liz, it's interesting you talk about that part about the artist, because at the moment here in South Australia, we've got the Sala Festival, South Australian Living Artists Festival, we've spoken to, we've spoken to a number of organisations and artists with disabilities that are exhibiting. And the cool thing about it, you went around 50 years ago, I wasn't around, I wasn't necessarily doing this program. But the really wonderful thing about the last few years is the fact that, you know, they're now an artist first and foremost. The disability is very much a secondary factor.
Yeah, I think so. I mean, I think when it comes to people's identity and their disability, everyone does identify differently. Some people are really, really want to acknowledge their disability and identify it, because then they think that the incredible challenges that they've overcome having a theory, but also the incredible strength and superpowers I think, that come with having a disability. Whereas other people, particularly, you know, the artists that we work with, would rather be seen as artists first. So I think within, you know, the disabled community, there's a really broad spectrum of the way that people identify whether that's and particularly with that within our space, whether that's neurodivergent or autistic or disabled or with a disability. Um, and I think that the most important thing we can do is give space for people and respect the way that they want to identify and, um, not challenge that.
The exhibition opens later on this month, and it's on for quite some time.
Um, it's not on to Geelong, actually. It's only on for about eight weeks. It opens on the 31st of August and closes on the 5th of October at our Art Project Australia Gallery in the yard.
Okay, I thought that might be a long time, but I guess it depends on your relativity. But 5 or 6 weeks? So, uh, any thoughts about what might happen to it afterwards? I'm thinking in terms of maybe whether it might travel or, uh, you know, yeah. Give an opportunity for other people to see it. That's the first question. And the second question is, what about in terms of maybe having it online or something along those lines?
We do often have a lot of, um, we do present walkthroughs of our exhibitions on the website, um, so that that should be an option to be able to look at the the exhibition digitally or virtually. And we haven't got any plans for a tour at this stage. We do, um, we're kind of a public museum, but we also sell our artists work, so we kind of, again, strange hybrid organization. And so a lot of the work we anticipate, because it's so beautiful, sells. So that's probably the best way to, um, to get a piece of the pie. Really?
Yeah. Well, as you said, it's on in Victoria. We're going around Australia on the Australian Radio Network. And of course in September we've got uh, 40 finals. Uh, speaking about Collingwood. So there might be a lot of people traveling to Victoria for those particular finals. What about as far as people getting along to see it? Is it free.
Is it absolutely free? Um, and we are, I believe Wednesday to Saturday, so I haven't got those details exactly in front of me. But Wednesday to Saturday we're open and and it's free. You're welcome to pop into Collingwood yards any time there's other organizations there. They're a really vibrant arts precinct. So if you're in town for the final, go to the doggies and, um, come down to Collingwood Yard. Okay.
Well, at least you don't barrack for the crows playing for South Australia. That would only put a bit of a downer on the interview. Listen, I know you're at the airport, you're about to catch a plane. So thank you so, so much for your flexibility and being available. We wish you well. That sounds like it's going to be great. We'll put those details up in our Facebook page as well so people can check it out. And if you're in Victoria, certainly worth getting along to. And congratulations to you and or both organizations for a combined 100 years of advocacy. It's a it's a wonderful message and long may you continue. Thank you.
So much. Have a good one.
That's Elizabeth Noel there. Liz Noel, who's the executive director for Arts Project Australia. With that 100 years of advocacy, I think really worth celebrating. And if you get a chance to go along, do because it sounds like so many worthwhile and certainly Rosie sounds like a real character.