Talking Posters Exhibition
Talking Posters: Garage Graphix 1981–1998, presents a selection of screen-printed artworks, textiles and calendars alongside original equipment and materials from the renowned ‘Garage’ in Mt Druitt in western Sydney. The exhibition reveals the role of artistic collaboration in giving voice to community concerns, expressed through the unique styles and typography from a pre-digital era of poster-making.
Situated in Mount Druitt, the Garage Graphix was an outstanding example of community arts practice and leadership in Australia in the eighties and nineties. For the length of its existence, Garage Graphix produced hundreds of political and socially relevant screen-printed posters with, and by its western Sydney constituent base. Crucially, it led the field in the development of a community-based art workshop, community activism, the telling of western Sydney stories and concerns.
Operationally it led in the development of an Aboriginal arts team, a community graphic design service, arts projects, artist residencies, innovative partnerships and developing Aboriginal arts and mentorships.
For the first time since the Garage Graphix closed its doors, this exhibition at The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre will present artworks alongside archival objects and photographs, with an artist-run print studio for visitors.
Curated by Nadia Odlum and presented by Blacktown Arts.
Curatorial mentor: Julie Ewington.
Garage Graphix Reference Group: Alice Hinton Bateup, Marla Guppy, Lee Anne Hall, Paul Howard, Lin Mountstephen, Alicia Talbot.
Project Manager: Paul Howard.
Opening Event will be opened by Mayor of Blacktown City and independent curator, Julie Ewington.
An artist-led print studio, led by Wendy Murray, will run throughout the exhibition giving open access for visitors to create their own screenprint. The Poster Centre will be an integral part of the public program in which master printmaker, Wendy Murray, will mentor local artists to run screen-printing workshops in Blacktown libraries before the exhibition commences. And then throughout the exhibition period, an open print studio will operate at the LKBAC. It will be artist-run, free to participate and open to all visitors and community participants to make a screen-print and add their voices to the long-running tradition of community activism in western Sydney. We will display the new screen-prints at the LKBAC in the workshop studio and potentially gallery 2 (pending schedule of exhibitions) and at libraries in Blacktown. The work will be documented and shared online.
The exhibition will tour to Wagga Wagga Regional Art Gallery from June – August 2022. Selected artworks from the exhibition will be displayed across Council buildings and libraries in 2022/23.