IN FOCUS – two galleries and the National Art School

Simon Chan, Art Atrium

Judith Blackall and Rosemary Laing’s installation effort and rush (2105)

Michael Snelling, Director National Art School

ARTS THURSDAY with Maisy Stapleton on 10 September 2015 focuses in on the visual arts in the Eastside Area.

First meet gallerist and owner, architect Simon Chan who has followed his heart and established a local gallery, Art Atrium, in tandem with his architectural practice in Bondi Junction.

Currently exhibiting at Sydney Contemporary Simon speaks of how he came to establish the gallery and his philosophy – a vision of sharing his passion for art with the community and nurturing his artists.

From the French ‘convict’ Lucien Henri, arguably the father of Australiana to Fiona Hall, currently Australia’s featured artist at the Venice Biennale, the National Art School has nurtured the Australian artists, as students or teachers.

Housed within the sandstone compound of the old Darlinghurst Gaol, the National Art School has weathered threats to its unique role including closures and mergers. Its recently appointed Director and CEO, Michael Snelling discusses future plans and recent initiatives at the school, in particular the opening of the new Postgraduate Wing, which will allow students to deepen their education with post graduate degrees.

One of its success stories is the National Art School Gallery, housed since 2006 in the former A-Wing of the old Gaol, originally built between 1836 and 1841.

An interview with Curator Judith Blackall focuses on the current exhibition, Rosemary Laing: effort + rush, a selection of work produced by Laing from her major series from the past decade including one dozen unnatural disasters in the Australian landscape (2003) and a dozen useless actions for grieving blondes (2009), as well as new work from her most recent series.

Join me, Maisy Stapleton on Arts Thursday, 10:30 until noon for this focussed view of the visual arts in Sydney.

For further information about Art Atrium go to https://www.artatrium.com.au/

For further information on the National Art School visit https://www.nas.edu.au/ and for details about the Rosemary Laing exhibition go to https://www.nas.edu.au/NASGallery/Current-Exhibition-and-Events

If you miss this program you can listen in later by going to https://eastsidefm.org/arts/artsthursday/ and clicking on the program date 10 September 2015.