NEARNESS

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‘Nearness’ is an exhibition that celebrates the rich body of site-specific art explorations by artist Robbie Rowlands as part of the Broken Hill Art Gallery residency program in 2018.

The City of Broken Hill is situated on the lands of the traditional owners, the Wilyakali people and is the largest regional centre in the western half of New South Wales. It lies in the centre of the sparsely settled New South Wales Outback, close to the South Australian border and midway between the Queensland and Victorian borders. In January 2015, Broken Hill was recognised as Australia’s First National Heritage Listed City.

Working in partnership with Arts NSW this residency invited artists to interpret, disrupt, illuminate and activate the City as a ‘Living Museum’ and place with ‘Perfect Light’ stating “this is a vibrant space defined by bold public art that fires the imagination and amplifies a strong sense of identity.”

Through exploring Broken Hill and the surrounding landscape, Rowlands was drawn to moments that offered unique perspectives of this experience. Rather than being drawn to the vast wondrous landscape, Rowlands turned his gaze to sites and materials that, in their solitude offered distinctive qualities that he felt framed his experience.

Through his explorations Rowlands stumbled across a retired owl ornament museum on the outskirts of Broken Hill. This set in motion a journey of discovery that introduced him to the history of this site, known as The Owl Barn, deriving from here creative outcomes that looked to embody a sense of this surreal experience.

As part of the residency Rowlands was introduced to members of the West Darling Machinery Preservation society. Situated in the heart of Broken Hill this wondrous site of historic relics and carefully restored machines became the final exhibition venue. Working in collaboration with the society members Rowlands created a large-scale immersive exhibition that revealed his unique experience of Broken Hill through projection, light, sculpture and sound.

Closer Encounter

S I T E - West Darling Machinery Preservation Society

E X H I B I T I O N - Engineering Workshop, West Darling Machinery Preservation Society

A R T W O R K - Suspended cast plaster projection screen (cast on red sand on site), close up images captured of a 1950's fire truck.

'Closer Encounter' featured a 2.4m cast plaster dome screen, cast in the sites red sand and suspended in the machinery engineering workshop. The projected imagery was of close up photographs taken of the interior and exterior of a 1950’s retired fire truck which sits in the grounds of the Preservation Society.

These captured images abstracted the trucks aged surfaces and forms to appear like aged landscapes or planetary forms as they replayed on the red sand encrusted surface of the domed screen. The work is accompanied by a recording from site of a restored motor, hand turned to reveal breathing of the piston amongst the motors percussive sounds.

(Par)liament the Owl

S I T E - The Owl Barn Museum Stephens creek, Broken Hill

E X H I B I T I O N - Boardroom, West Darling Machinery Preservation Society.

A R T W O R K - Back projection, Owl Barn Museum display cabinet, Photographic captures of remnant owl collection, Sound - Piano recording in site.

With this work (Par)liament the Owls, Rowlands has captured the last sitting of the remaining collection of owl ornaments that was held at a site known as the Owl Barn out near Stephens creek. Founded by Val and Mitch Wilmont in the 1990’s the Owl Barn not only exhibited an extensive collection of Owl ornaments but also housed artworks collected by the Wilmont’s.

With the discovery of the barn in its dormant state Rowlands found Mitch, residing in a home and spent time hearing about its history and returned Mitch to the site for a day trip. Mitch’s family has now packed up the remainder of the Owl Collection. The exhibit also features a sound recording using one of the two pianos on the site.

Reef

S I T E / E X H I B I T I O N - Museum space, West Darling Machinery Preservation Society

M A T E R I A L - Recovered mining rockbolts

Rockbolts are the main structural material used to reinforce the integrity of walls and ceilings within mines. It is said the more rockbolts you see in the wall the more unstable it is.

As a material for sculptural considerations the bent, scared and twisted lenghts of spring steel encapsulated the many conversations Rowlands had about support and resilence in the community with the hardships that surrounded the mining history.

The final sculptored form of cut, rusted and galvanised sections appear like dried bark feathered together in a rise gesture that has a strong sense of animation and lightness.

Exhibited in the museum space Rowlands worked with the society members to arrange the machine collection to circle around the work.

To dust

S I T E / E X H I B I T I O N - Museum space, West Darling Machinery Preservation Society

M A T E R I A L - Found copper vessels, accumulated red dust

Rowlands recovered three vessels from one of his site explorations. Modest in material, copper, they stood undisturbed gathering red dust over time. Rowlands ground the vessels rims down to a point allowing the copper particles mix with the red dust.

The title To dust is drawn from the term 'Dust to dust'. Here the vessels appear caught in transition from one to the other. We can consider the whole cycle of particle back to particle with the temporality of form nestled inbetween.

Sculptural site works

Rowlands spent much of his residency period exploring many abandoned and isolated sites in and around the Broken Hill landscape. These wonderous spaces that have sat dorment, not exhausted but peacefully retired, held a poetic that help frame a unique perspective of this landsape.

Outcomes from these were mostly experiential, captured through photgraphy and film. (More documentation HERE) but some revealed potential for sculptural considerations.

These four works, Middle draw, Tail, The tension on leaving and Rest bring forth Rowlands unique approach to recomposing forms directly in abandoned site, offering up subtle distortions that tap into the experience.

Lamenting the Owl Barn

S I T E / E X H I B I T I O N - Stephens Creek Art Gallery & Owl Barn

Dual projection, captured close-up images of remenant owl ornament collection. Manipulated sound of Owl wind chime found on site.

This final one night event was held in the open burnt out main section of the Owl Barn. The site was originally founded by Val Wilmott and Mitch Powell in the early 1990's. Set up as an art gallery and more famously a museum of thousands of Owl ornements. In the mid 1990's the main building which originally was a pub burnt down leaving Val and Mitch with the side buildings to house their collection.

Whilst not as grand as the original setup it still help its place out by Stephens creek. During this residency Rowlands built a strong relationship with the site, with Mitch and with Mitch's step son Neil.

The same week Rowlands launched his Nearness Exhibition the Owl Barn's collection was packed up. This final nights event brought the community back out to the site on a beautifully still evening to celebrate the end of the Rowlands' residency and to remember the Owl Barn.

In memory of Val Wilmont and thanks to Mitch Powell and the Wilmont family.