Lismore Regional Gallery is reopening to the public following extensive renovations resulting from the devastating floods of 2022 that affected much of the area and community.
The redesigned space incorporates five gallery spaces, all of which will host a new exhibition opening this weekend, alongside workshops, artist talks, and musical performances.
“The opening weekend will be pivotal in our recovery after the 2022 natural disaster,” says gallery director Ashleigh Ralph. “We are galvanised by the excitement of our audience and colleagues in the region and across the country. We are looking forward to opening our doors as one of the longest-running cultural organisations in Northern NSW.”
The reopening exhibition program includes Hannah Halle, an installation by ‘The ArtHitects’ Gary Carsley and Renjie Teoh; Buruugaa Garaa Buruu Garaa Budgeramgali (Saltwater people Freshwater people stories), an exhibition co-curated by Melissa Ladkin featuring Amrita Hepi, Joshua Lynch, and Djon Mundine OAM, with a live performance by Waangenga Blanco; Blue island, showing the work of Nell Pearson and Matthew Brookes; Sprung News, an exhibition investigates the accessibility of media by Sprung!! Ensemble; and Unbearable Incandescence, a series of works by Chloe Smith.
“Lismore Regional Gallery will continue to host major touring exhibitions and deliver an innovative and attentive self-generated program of exhibitions and events that stimulate and engage audiences locally and nationally,” says Ralph.
Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg heralds the re-opening of the gallery as a milestone in the city’s recovery. “This is great news for our community,” he said. “The popularity of the pop-up gallery while this one was being repaired, really underlined the importance of art within our community, both in an artistic sense but also importantly our mental wellbeing.”
Lismore Regional Gallery officially reopens to the public on Friday, 27 September, from 6pm.
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