When it comes to regional art galleries, Bundanon is top tier. But it’s difficult to convey the magic of this place if you haven’t experienced it for yourself. Hidden within a nature reserve and perched between a snaking bend of the mighty Shoalhaven River and the foot of a mountain, it's a special place to unplug and connect with art and nature. Hence, the latest exhibition to take up residence in the Art Museum, which encourages new ways of thinking through collaborations between humans and non-human worlds, is a natural fit.
From large-scale paintings in traditional Indigenous art styles to experimental technologies, Thinking together: Exchanges with the natural world features new major commissions from contemporary artists and collectives that take a range of unexpected forms and unusual perspectives. For example, Greek-Australian artist and performer Tina Stefanou has been “collaborating” with retired horses for almost a decade, and these equine beauties are now the stars of ‘Horse Power’ (2019) – a video work in which we see them dressed in costumes festooned with jangling keys, creating freestyle percussion as they graze nonchalantly.
Meanwhile, music-making mushrooms are the heroes of ‘Growth in the shadows’, a living artwork from Sydney-based interdisciplinary artist Keg de Souza – and that’s not a euphemism. Working with ecologists and Bundanon’s natural resources team, de Souza has “borrowed” live mycelium and fungi samples from the landscape and housed them in Wardian cases (an early type of portable terrarium) where they have been wired up to emit a continuous live soundtrack of audio biofeedback. Reflecting a complex world of connectivity and reciprocity that’s beyond human perception, this work will capture the imaginations of anyone who has found themselves engrossed in documentaries and random viral videos about the secret life of mushrooms (and the ability for technology to unlock their psychedelic beats).
On the other side of the gallery bunker, renowned Filipino-born artist duo Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan invite visitors to be their collaborators on ‘REFLECTIONS/HABITATIONS’, an enormous accumulative sculpture built from cardboard boxes and found materials that explores the nature of habitats and community. (We’re encouraged to create sculptures and drawings in the adjacent gallery, to be added to the installation over the duration of the exhibition.) And another artwork that will continue to evolve throughout the life of the exhibition is ‘new eyes — old Country’ by Yawuru man Robert Andrew. Using drone footage captured whilst in residence at Bundanon, Andrew had utilised a robotic rig to translate the contours of Bangli/the Shoalhaven River into a cumulative wall drawing made from materials sourced from the nearby landscape.
Make the most of your visit to Bundanon
With Bundanon being a relatively short 2.5-hour drive from Sydney, the exhibition itself is well worth a day trip (especially if you have lunch overlooking the river at Ramox Café, and journey over to the historic Boyd Family Homestead and Arthur Boyd’s Studio, which is open on weekends). But to wring the most out of your visit, we highly recommend rolling it in with one of Bundanon’s immersive Stay Weekends, or the other upcoming cultural events on offer – featuring everything from guided nature walks in the stunning bushland surrounds, artisan markets, hands-on workshops, expert talks, and contemporary music events alongside the brand new Boyd Music Series (a special chamber music concert series which is presented in partnership with the Sydney Opera House).
Thinking together: Exchanges with the natural world is showing until June 8, 2025, at Bundanon Art Museum, Shoalhaven. Plan your visit at bundanon.com.au.
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