BALLARAT-born, Melbourne-based artist Laura Woodward works in the field of kinetic sculpture.
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She is known for her unique sculptural installations that engage with concepts of systems, technology and the body.
Her current exhibition ‘Writhe' was developed specifically for Ararat Regional Art Gallery and is her first major exhibition in a regional public gallery.
Laura is a frequent visitor to Ararat through family connections, and this is how she came to the attention of the gallery.
On meeting Laura to discuss exhibition possibilities, the idea of her creating an immersive kinetic art installation in response to the gallery’s historic rooms was proposed.
Thanks to a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts, Laura has been able to invest significant effort in the creation of what is a remarkable contemporary art work – the likes of which has never been seen in the gallery’s history.
Laura has responded to the ornate former Council chamber in the most unexpected way.
On entering the space you will be drawn into a pulsating mechanised system that feels as if you are entering into the body of a living organism.
The hard mechanical aspects of the work are tempered with elegant lines of clear and white plastic components and the curlicue of meandering suspended pipes.
The work is built around the pumps feeding water across a system of pipes to suspended vessels.
This water is pumped in a steady rhythmic pattern, yet a change in equilibrium results in the sudden, dramatic movement of the vessels.
Laura has an interest in the connection between sculpture and drawing, and the clear pipes and their shadows make this reference apparent.
'Writhe' also draws from Ararat's surrounding landscapes and the gallery's contemporary textile art focus, referencing undulating terrain and woven patterns in its amoeba-esque form and movement.
On Saturday 1 August at 1pm Laura will present a talk about the work. We hope you can join us to celebrate the exhibition.
‘Writhe’ continues at Ararat Regional Art Gallery until August 30.
Anthony Camm
Director,
Ararat Regional Art Gallery