Printmaking exhibition set for gallery unveiling

A new printmaking exhibition exploring artists’ relationships with natural and urban environments will open at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery next Friday.

Reimagining the Landscape, presented by Sydney-based printmaking collective Open Bite Printmakers, will feature a range of printmaking techniques including etching, monoprint, photopolymer, linocut, woodblock, collagraph and screen printing.

The collective has worked together for more than 30 years and regularly exhibits in Sydney and regional areas.

Its artists have also participated in international exhibitions in Spain, the United Kingdom and at the Mokuhanga Conference in Japan.

Open Bite Printmakers member and award-winning artist Julie Debray said the exhibition aimed to encourage dialogue between artists and audiences about their perceptions of the environment.

“This exhibition can bring a wide range of benefits to the local community in showcasing how artists can reinterpret the land by using unexpected materials, such as textiles, collage, or digital elements,” she said.

“The landscape images can become a vessel for memories and identity that resonate with different people in a multitude of ways.

“Our diverse practices allow for individual artists to work in their chosen medium whether with traditional and more abstract techniques to experiment and explore contemporary trends whilst maintaining a high level of expertise and innovation.”

Gunnedah Shire Council economy and growth manager Susan Frater said the exhibition would provide an opportunity for the community to experience the work of a group of passionate printmakers.

“Open Bite Printmakers blend specialised techniques with storytelling to create powerful works that resonate with the viewer,” she said.

“They have poured their expertise and experience into this original collection, which captures the heart of the diverse Australian landscapes we know and love.”

Reimagining the Landscape will officially open at the Creative Arts Gallery at 6pm on Friday 11 September, and will remain on display until Friday 9 October.