In recognition of one of the most significant cultural gifts to the nation, Bundanon unveiled its 30th anniversary exhibition season last month with fantastic forms, featuring over 200 works from the Bundanon Collection, on view until 18 June 2023.
Curated by Sophie O’Brien and Boe-Lin Bastian, fantastic forms celebrates the ritual of artmaking and its connection to everyday life through ceramics, sculpture and animation, starting from the expansive selection of multi-hued drawings and curvilinear ceramics by Merric Boyd, collected by his son, Arthur Boyd. The exhibition brings these lyrical works into conversation with the different practices of three living Australian artists – new large-scale sculptures by Nabilah Nordin, a series of ceramic figures by Stephen Benwell, and stop-motion videos by emerging Bundjalung artist Rubyrose Bancroft.
Rubyrose Bancroft, Accompanying Figures to 7 Deadly Sins, 2023, plasticine. Courtesy the artist and Bundanon, New South Wales
Running alongside the exhibition, a dynamic public program of artist and curator talks, family-friendly workshops, and performances brings the collective to life. Talks include Boyd and Benwell: Beyond the Vase on Saturday 20 May, 12–1pm, a floor talk on both artist’s approaches to ceramics; and Legacy and Metamorphosis: The Impact of Merric Boyd on Saturday 3 June, 12–1pm, a curator talk discussing intergenerational connections and how they are explored in exhibitions today.
A series of creative learning workshops explore line and form in engagement with Boyd’s drawings: the fantastic forms workshop with Bonnie Porter-Green on Saturday 20 May, 10am–12pm, a two-hour workshop, taking its inspiration from Boyd’s colourful and expressive drawing practice. Participants will experiment with colour palettes, negative space and exaggerated natural forms using pencil, gouache, and food dyes to create one large work on paper. More information online.
