The Central Goldfields Art Gallery’s latest exhibition – IMMORTALS– featuring the work of Castlemaine artist Clayton Tremlett will be officially opened by Councillor Geoff Lovett this Saturday at 2pm.
Immortals is an exhibition that brings together a portrait study of the faces of 54 Digger memorials throughout the State of Victoria. Through his comparative portrait study of the Digger memorials, Tremlett provides us with an opportunity to focus on cenotaphs to fallen soldiers in World War I.
This is the first ever visual record of Victorian Digger memorials which took four years of research by local artist and restoration expert of historic monuments.
The result of Tremlett’s extensive research shows that each Digger Cenotaph is a unique individual and not just mass-produced generic faces as may be assumed by the onlooker.
This study celebrates and connects a shared history for regional communities. The series invites the community to reflect on a time when Australia was a fledgling nation that answered a request to send troops to a war in foreign countries.
Presented just after ANZAC Day, the exhibition also provides the opportunity for audiences to focus on the Maryborough memorial situated in McLandress Square just a few minutes walk from Central Goldfields Art Gallery.
The sculptor of the Maryborough memorial was the remarkable Margaret Baskerville (1861- 1930) who is known as Australia’s first female sculptor. The Maryborough Womens’ Patriotic League campaigned for Baskerville to sculpt Maryborough’s memorial.
Despite opposition, they were successful and the Maryborough Memorial was dedicated in 1926 with the support of the council.
Tremlett visited and documented all of the monuments depicted in this exhibition. With most of the monuments facing east, the artist was often onsite at sunrise to capture images of the faces of the Diggers in these memorials in the light of the rising sun. Each monument was digitally photographed between 80 and 120 times with one selected image transformed via digital editing software. The image was then separated into five tonal (grey) layers and produced as a screen print that resembles a WW1 studio portrait.
Clayton Tremlett’s artwork is represented in collections around Australia including the National Gallery of Australia, Geelong Art Gallery and the State Library of Victoria.
Refreshments will be provided at the opening and the community and visitors to the region are welcome and encouraged to attend.
The exhibition will be on display until June 11, 2023.
Central Goldfields Art Gallery is situated at 1 Neill Street, Maryborough. The gallery is open from Thursday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm and entrance is free.
The exhibition will also feature a Art History Tour next Sunday May 7, an Artist’s Talk on Sunday May 14 and an Art Talk by Barbara Nielsen on May 18.
For more information visit www.centralgoldfieldsartgallery.com.au