Ringing the bells for Pyrmont Christmas Exhibition

Visitors to this year’s Pyrmont Community Group Christmas Exhibition can enjoy the unique art works on show while supporting both the artists and the Save Union Square campaign.

The event will run from Sunday, November 29 until Friday, December 4, and once again feature works from Papunya Tjupi artists, with prints, etchings, paintings, jewellery and ceramics all available for sale.

Event organiser Jean Stuart said the exhibition will feature affordable, quality artworks.

“It gives people an opportunity to buy artists at a very reasonable price because we don’t charge gallery percentages – if you bought some of these artists from a gallery you’d have to pay forty percent on top,” she said. “They’re very high quality – they’re very, very special.”

Entry to the exhibition is free, and some of the proceeds from the sale of the works will go towards the Papunya artists, who recently moved into a new productive space where they can experiment and conceive their works in a fresh, creative environment.

“Previously, they were doing it out in the open…now they’ve got a proper place, air-conditioned, to work in. They can leave their work set up, and they don’t have to pack it all up all the time,” Ms Stuart said.

Proceeds from the exhibition will also go to the Pyrmont community and in particular, opposing the proposed Metro station at Union Square, the construction of which will involve the demolition of four heritage terraces.

“At the moment, the best way [people] can be involved in saving the terraces is to come along and support the Christmas Exhibition,” Ms Stuart said.

Included in the exhibition are prints and etchings by artist in residence at Cicada Press, Elisabeth Cummings, as well as Michael Kempson, Euan Macleod and Adam Cullen.

Since its inception, Papunya Tjupi Arts has had an ongoing program of print-making and workshops, with the assistance of Mr Kempson, Cicada’s master printmaker.

The exhibition will also feature paintings by Julie Pouslen, jewellery made by Gwenda Duffield and large platters, bowls and vessels sculpted by Jane Barrow.

Visitors will be able to purchase a T-shirt printed especially for the event that highlights the community’s struggle against the Metro plan, designed by iconic artist Reg Mombassa, famous for his designs found on Mambo clothing worldwide.

The exhibition will be held at 85 Point Street, Pyrmont and is open from 10:30am until 2:30pm; alternatively, viewings by appointment can also be arranged.

Some of the works will also be on display in Bartino restaurant on Union Street, which is in line to be demolished should construction of the metro station go ahead.

by Gareth Narunsky