The hanging team at work before the opening of the Small Works Exhibition at Berninneit
By Catherine Watson
On Tuesday, some 50 artists descended on Berninneit Art Gallery carrying around 130 artworks for the Small Works Exhibition, which opened Phillip Island’s summer season of art.
It was absolute bedlam – and curator Warren Nichols loved it.
Now in his fifth year curating the PICES (Phillip Island Contemporary Exhibition Space) program, Warren still feels the same buzz on delivery day. He likens it to tackling a giant jigsaw puzzle: finding the right piece for the right place.
The Small Works Exhibition reflects the PICES ethos of giving everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals a chance to exhibit at Berninneit. It’s a non-curated, open-entry show, with all works accepted provided they measure no more than 50 x 50 centimetres.
The works are hung salon-style. “Imagine 130 pieces hanging ‘in random order’,” Warren says. “It actually is curated – it might be by colour or subject matter – but we deliberately don’t group an artist’s works.
“It’s fabulous from that point of view. Viewers might like one work and then really have to search to find others by the same artist. It’s wonderful watching people do that.”
“It’s fabulous from that point of view. Viewers might like one work and then really have to search to find others by the same artist. It’s wonderful watching people do that.”
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Another quirk: once a work is sold, it goes straight home with the buyer. “We leave only the red dot and a blank space. We don’t replace it with anything. It creates a sense of urgency.”
PICES began six summers ago with five week-long pop-up exhibitions in various venues including PICAL and the Ramada Resort. |
The summer season Dec 12-Jan 1 • Small Works Exhibition Jan 4-15 • Contempora 1 Jan 4, 2pm • Artist Insights (panel discussion) Jan 17-Feb 1 • Contempora 2 Jan 18, 2pm • Artist Insights (panel discussion) Berninneit Art Gallery is open daily 10am–5pm. |
For the past three seasons it has, with the council’s support, had a semi-permanent home at Berninneit where the pop-ups have evolved into one open Small Works Exhibition and two invitation-only shows, Contempora 1 and Contempora 2.
That’s in line with the original PICES mission to bring contemporary art to the Bass Coast community.
Warren says the standard of work for the Contempora shows keeps rising. This year PICES received 35 expressions of interest. “We’re looking for variety, for new work, and for pieces that will complement each other in the same room. That’s very important.”
A three-person panel – a PICES committee member, an independent arts practitioner and Warren – selected 18 artists, including five new ones, with an even spread of local, Gippsland and metropolitan Melbourne artists.
That’s in line with the original PICES mission to bring contemporary art to the Bass Coast community.
Warren says the standard of work for the Contempora shows keeps rising. This year PICES received 35 expressions of interest. “We’re looking for variety, for new work, and for pieces that will complement each other in the same room. That’s very important.”
A three-person panel – a PICES committee member, an independent arts practitioner and Warren – selected 18 artists, including five new ones, with an even spread of local, Gippsland and metropolitan Melbourne artists.
 Above: Mangrove pools by Karen Preston Right: Stoneware by Owen Rye |  |
Then comes Warren’s favourite part: visiting the selected artists in their studios.
“That’s when you fine-tune the selection. Artists have submitted a set of photographs, but when I meet them I’m looking for the unexpected – those treasures hidden in the studio.
“One artist submitted collage works, but when I visited I was drawn to his monoprints. So we’re showing the monoprints with one large collage work.
“That connection between curator and artist is pretty rare, and the artists really value the opportunity to talk about their work. They might be at a fork in the road. That conversation can help us build a long-term relationship between the artist and PICES, which is really important.”
Each Contempora artist will show up to seven works, effectively creating their own mini-exhibition. The artists set their own prices, which can range from $500 to $5000, depending on their reputation and market.
Of course the artists are only one half of an exhibition; there’s no show without volunteer support and an audience. Around a quarter of works in last year’s exhibitions sold, generating about $30,000 in total sales
Warren says the audience has grown significantly since PICES moved to Berninneit.
“There are people who come back each year, and others who’ve never been in a gallery before. They might go to the cinema and then wander in. Because it’s not intimidating – it’s a public space.
“They can walk around, take it in. They may buy something or not, but they often leave feeling excited by what they’ve seen.”
“That’s when you fine-tune the selection. Artists have submitted a set of photographs, but when I meet them I’m looking for the unexpected – those treasures hidden in the studio.
“One artist submitted collage works, but when I visited I was drawn to his monoprints. So we’re showing the monoprints with one large collage work.
“That connection between curator and artist is pretty rare, and the artists really value the opportunity to talk about their work. They might be at a fork in the road. That conversation can help us build a long-term relationship between the artist and PICES, which is really important.”
Each Contempora artist will show up to seven works, effectively creating their own mini-exhibition. The artists set their own prices, which can range from $500 to $5000, depending on their reputation and market.
Of course the artists are only one half of an exhibition; there’s no show without volunteer support and an audience. Around a quarter of works in last year’s exhibitions sold, generating about $30,000 in total sales
Warren says the audience has grown significantly since PICES moved to Berninneit.
“There are people who come back each year, and others who’ve never been in a gallery before. They might go to the cinema and then wander in. Because it’s not intimidating – it’s a public space.
“They can walk around, take it in. They may buy something or not, but they often leave feeling excited by what they’ve seen.”