Global phenomena, environment and ecology, cultural exchange and collective memory are the themes, which are set to unfold across the ‘Castlemaine State Festival’ in Victoria from 22 to 31 March. Framed by these topics the ten-day festival will energise the region with free and ticketed events across multiple venues where local, national and international artists will present their ideas and creativity to the community with exhibitions featuring painting, sculpture, video and installation, as well as music, film, performance and dialogue.
Abdul-Rahman Abdullah, The Hunt, 2014, stained wood, 30 x 85 x 180cm. Courtesy the artist, Moore Contemporary, Western Australia, Martin George and Castlemaine State Festival, Victoria
Festival highlights include a site-specific large-scale work by Jazoo Yang from South Korea, which looks at domesticity and place as part of the Focus on Asia: Korea program. An outdoor sculpture by Melbourne-based artist Kylie Stillman who uses found materials to create woodcarvings and book sculptures will be on display at the forecourt entrance to Castlemaine Art Museum. From Tokyo we see abstract landscapes in watercolour by Taichi Nakamura, while local artist Cameron Robbins, whose work is based on his interactions with natural forces and the elements unveils an installation at Lot 19 Artspace. Abdul-Rahman Abdullah and Anna Louise Richardson explore encounters with animal mortality and the broader implications of death in their first collaborative project.
Artists working with textiles, weaving, jewellery, ceramics, photography, printmaking, glass, works on paper and more will also be welcoming visitors to drop in on their open studios, have a chat and buy their artworks.
‘Castlemaine State Festival’ is a biennial celebration of the arts across the Victorian goldfields district.
