Exhibit: William Kelly at Shepparton Art Museum.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
In a time of collective disarray, disconnection and distance, Nathalia-based artist William Kelly has brought together creatives from across the world.
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His exhibition, titled COVID-Collaborations: A Shared Step on a Long Journey started when the world went into lockdown in 2020; consequently, planned trips and projects Mr Kelly had intended to delve into were put aside.
Instead, Mr Kelly distributed a template image of a bridge with flying birds to 28 artists and poets across the globe, asking each to place their own touch on it.
“I thought, well, let's keep the dialogue going and let's see what happens,” he said.
“These things require an awful lot of trust, it's like you're writing a letter to someone, you write half but have to let someone else finish the other half.
“It puts a lot of trust in that person to keep the story going that you're trying to tell.”
In a show of artists from New York, Tehran, Morocco and even the Picola district, what resulted from the collaborative works is on show at Shepparton Art Museum, displayed in partnership with Shepparton Festival.
Connected: One of the 28 artist collaborations.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
“You kind of get a synopsis of how people were feeling about not just their own situation, but about what is about going on in the world,” Mr Kelly said.
“So there’s images to do with hope, there’s images to do with anxiety, and there’s text to do with wishes and there’s thoughts about peace and social justice.”
The exhibition is in SAM’s Williamson Community Gallery, a space focused on celebrating and fostering local talents.
“It’s a generous display of how we can connect with people, despite distances, cultures, languages, that at the end of the day we all share the urge to connect with one another and art is a perfect way to connect with each other,” SAM exhibitions curator Jessica O’Farrell said.
The artworks portray many differing themes in their responses, including homes as a place of isolation, the dire circumstances faced by many First Nations people and people of colour; and evocative images of hope, respect and aspirations for the future.
“Whatever they sent back, however they sent it back, is how it is here,” Mr Kelly said.
“I trusted them and they trusted me, and so we now have the show.”
For many locals, the works will prompt a sense of familiarity.
In place of the intended exhibition in SAM that was postponed by COVID-19 restrictions, as part of the 25th Shepparton Festival Mr Kelly’s works were projected onto the entire north wall of SAM for several weeks.
Projected: Nathalia-based artist William Kelly with his SAM projections.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Shepparton Festival creative director Jamie Lea said feedback received showed the projections sparked inspiration for many driving past.
“When you take your time and actually get to read them, and the responses, you can feel such different energy in each and every piece. I think everyone can connect to it in some way,” she said.
“The simplicity and the beauty in that simplicity was quite breathtaking.
“We just really want to thank Bill and just say what an honour it is to work with him, but also an honour to have this exhibition and all these people from around the world here in SAM in Shepparton.”
COVID-Collaborations A Shared Step on a Long Journey opened on Saturday, January 22, 2022, at Shepparton Art Museum.
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