Chippendale art explores the City

‘Specifically Sydney’, Harrington Street Gallery’s latest annual exhibition, is on display this month.

The exhibition brings together impressions, memories and experiences of Sydney by thirteen different artists.

The Chippendale based gallery has been host to annual theme exhibitions for over 30 years, with previous titles including ‘war and peace’ ‘breaching the wall’ and ‘alone and together’.

“This year’s theme involves aspects of Sydney that ring true, the places, the people, the experiences,” said artist Marita Brahe.

“Working together and exhibiting together, it develops iconography, it expresses that we are a co-operative.”

Nicole Altman, a supporter of Harrington Street Gallery said: “It’s a very vibrant space, there are lots of different kinds of painting styles which reflect not only what the city looks like but how it is perceived.

“Not only the positive aspects but also the negative topics, namely the painting ‘Endless Shame at Villawood’”

Susan Faigen, artist of ‘Endless Shame At Villawood”, wished to explore more than the positive aspects of Sydney, “When I painted ‘Endless Shame at Villawood’ I thought that’s a big part of it, a terrible aspect of Sydney, the bigotry towards refugees.”

The gallery has been exhibiting paintings since 1973, after artist John Ogburn thought to establish a registered artist’s co-operative.

The Gallery was initially established so developing and established artists had the means to exhibit their work without having to satisfy commercial restraints.

‘Specifically Sydney’ runs from August 23 to September 11 at Harrington Road Gallery, Chippendale.

By Georgia Fullerton