When Ngununggula opened in the Southern Highlands in 2021, it raised the bar for what a regional gallery could be. Having hosted the work of Tamara Dean and brothers Abdul-Rahman Abdullah and Abdul Abdullah, along with various workshops and artist talks, the redesigned dairy in Bowral is a must-visit destination for all lovers of art.
If you needed more persuading, the gallery is set to unveil a joint exhibition from quintessential Australian artists Ken Done and Rosie Deacon. United by their fondness for vibrant multi-coloured palettes and Australian landscapes, the exhibition entitled Spring Collection endeavours to create a dialogue between Deacon and Done's works. Both will present fresh material; Done is set to show a series of never-before-seen works, whereas Deacon was commissioned to create an installation in response to Done's paintings.
The result is an immersive exhibition, stretching across the entirety of the gallery space and riffing on Done's artworks in a way that is tangible and textured.
This is not the first time both Deacon and Done have been grouped together. Earlier in May, Romance Was Born tapped the artists for its Resort 2023 collection which was presented at Afterpay Australia Fashion Week. Done's signature brush strokes were printed across dresses with structure wire ruffles, meanwhile Deacon was tasked with creating a kind of media wall, the result of which was a psychedelic, glittering reef. Tracing their connection in its entirety, Spring Collection will include the collaboration with Romance Was Born.
On top of this, there will be a tactile making space for guests to participate in and respond to the exhibition in their own unique way. Speaking on Spring Collection, Deacon said, "This is an amazing moment for me to present alongside Ken Done, one of the country’s most loved artists and one of my biggest inspirations".
"His iconic paintings, beach fashion and beer commercials have had a huge influence on my practice, and my MONA FOMA work FFS (Fashion Forest Seduction) was directly inspired by Ken’s 1985 Swan Lager Commercial," she explained. "I’m so thankful to have had the chance to collaborate with him earlier this year for the Romance Was Born fashion show, and to now have our works shown side-by-side to the public for the first time.”
Spring Collection opens at Ngununggula from August 6 and will be on display until October 9. Entry is free and the gallery is open from Monday to Sunday, 10am - 4pm.
For more in the way of art, these are the exhibitions taking place across Australia in July.
