ART AND CULTURE

Our Journeys | Our Stories

我们的历程 | 我们的故事

Golden headgear for an Emperor (c. 1970s-80s), Opera performance headpiece, fabric, metal, plastic, metallic mesh, faux jewels and pearls, tassels. Private collection, Sydney. Hurstville Museum & Gallery 24 July – 13 October 2021 悉尼南城好市围博物馆和美术馆 2021年7月24日 — 10月13日

Our Journeys | Our Stories explores the Chinese migration history of the Georges River area, interweaving social and cultural history with the work of contemporary ChineseAustralian artists Cindy Yuen-Zhe Chen, Guo Jian, Lindy Lee, Xiao Lu, Jason Phu, and Guan Wei.

The exhibition aims to highlight and celebrate the significance of local Chinese migration from the 19th century through to the 2000s and the ongoing contribution of the Chinese community to the Georges River area.

Featuring oral histories and objects from both cultural institutions and private collections, the combination of historical material, personal stories and artistic interpretation reflects on and expresses a shared cultural heritage.

Hurstville Museum & Gallery has received two significant grants which have made this exhibition possible. Create NSW have provided funding to commission contemporary Chinese-Australian artists to create works for inclusion in the exhibition. The National Foundation for Australia-China Relations has also provided a grant to support the exhibition’s catalogue, bi-lingual translations and oral history online platform. Both grants have enabled a demonstration to strengthen understanding and promote connections between Australia and China.

Guan Wei, Georges River, acrylic on board, 175 x 208 x 3.5 cm (1-4 panels) 2021. Tiy Sing stencil template for produce boxes (c. 1910), Georges River Libraries Local Studies collection.

华人历史文艺展《我们的历程 | 我们的故事 （Our Journeys | Our Stories）》追述了悉尼南 城乔治河地区华人移民史，通过当代澳籍华裔艺 术家关伟、李林迪（Lindy Lee）、肖鲁、符子龙 （Jason Phu）、曾苑慈（Cindy Yuen-Zhe Chen） 、郭健等的新创作品体现在澳旅居华裔的社会和文 化历史。

该展旨在体现和弘扬自19世纪至2000年代的漫长岁月里，悉尼 南城乔治河地区华裔移民推动整个悉尼建设和发展所起到的重要作 用，及其长期以来对本地区所作出的贡献。 展藏口述记忆录音和历史物品均来自悉尼各大文化机构和私人 收藏。所涉及的历史资料、个人历程、艺术创作也都完美地融合在 了一起，彰显五湖四海同根同族的炎黄子孙传承下来的中华文明底 蕴。 好市围博物馆&美术馆因本次主题展览荣获来自州级和联邦级政 府的两项重大支持：新南威尔士州政府创意部（Create NSW）拨 款征集澳籍华裔艺术家参与创作；澳大利亚外交部澳中关系国家基 金会（National Foundation for Australia-China Relations）也为 该展的推行、展录出版、双语译文以及华人口述历史在线平台开发 等出资辅助。两项拨款均为澳中两国双边互通、交流提供了有力推 动，从而拉近了两国间的距离。 The Our Journeys | Our Stories exhibition is supported by the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations.

Our Journeys | Our Stories is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

Stephanie Magiros

Striving for Gold: Olympians of St George

In the lead up to the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, Striving for gold portrays Olympians of the St George area. Their stories and memorabilia provide a personal insight into past Olympic Games, reflecting on social and sporting history from the early 1900s to present day.

Come to one of our many programs celebrating this exhibition!

BABY EXPLORERS

Bring your baby to the Museum & Gallery and enjoy a guided tour of Striving for gold. Suitable for babies up to the age of 12 months. Wednesday 14 July 2021, 10.15am-11.30am $4.00 per adult participant. Babies are free. Bookings essential.

FAMILY FUN DAY – ‘MINI OLYMPICS’

Join us for an open day for the whole family, with guided tours, story time, mini-Olympic competitions, modern interactive games and craft activities. Saturday 3 July 2021, 10.30am-2.00pm Free. All welcome.

REMEMBER WHEN…?

Interactive guided tours of the Striving for gold exhibition. $4.00 per adult participant. Book your group and arrange your guided tour. Bookings essential.

INSIDE THE EXHIBITION Test your skills

Do you have what it takes to be an Olympian? Find your inner sports star and try your hand at swimming, athletics, canoeing and more!

Make your own Olympic pin

Make a memory of your visit to Striving for gold: Olympians of St George by creating your own Olympic style pin.

Live the dream

Step on to the podium and live the dream of an Olympian! Have you won bronze, silver or gold?

For more information please contact Hurstville Museum & Gallery on (02) 9330 6444 or museumgallery@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Programs can be booked online at www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/HMG or visit us at the Museum & Gallery service desk.

Please note: Payments must be made at the time of booking. Events and activities with a cost may incur small booking fees and surcharges depending on your payment method. No refunds for cancellations or missed bookings.

Striving for gold: Olympians of St George will run until 18 July 2021 at Hurstville Museum & Gallery.

Table tennis tables add vibrancy to local parks

Pole Depot Park tennis table by Keith Stanley.

Georges River Council recently installed two new outdoor table tennis tables at Peakhurst Park and Pole Depot Park.

Artist, Keith Stanley, was commissioned by Council to paint bright and colourful designs on both tables to bring a sense of fun and creativity to the tables and surrounding park landscape. Stanley was inspired by the Georges River and has included a blue stream of water down the middle of both designs. The artworks feature surreal underwater and solar system scenes. Stanley commented that "the design of blue stream in my artwork represents the Georges River, while the characters represent space, clarity and insight". Stanley also worked with Jennifer Tyler from the Headspace Youth Advocate Group (YAG) to design characters for the tables. Together, they designed a cockatoo and spider, both in space helmets playing video games to symbolise staying connected with friends and family, an artistic eel representing partaking in new hobbies, and a martial artist turtle, symbolising maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The table tennis tables form part of a growing collection of public artworks that Council has commissioned since the adoption of the Create Georges River Cultural Strategy 2019 and Public Art Policy in 2020. Council’s aim for installing public art is to revitalise the urban environment with colour, texture, creativity and cultural engagement. The table tennis tables are a permanent feature and Council hopes they will bring enjoyment to all in the community.

Inside the Hurstville Museum & Gallery collection

One of Hurstville Museum & Gallery’s newest additions to our collection are a set of chairs believed to be connected to Rafael & Moyia Kowron, founding members of Oatley Flora & Fauna Society and valued members of the Oatley Amateur Swimming Club.

Rafael and Moyia Kowron moved to West Oatley in the 1950s and became interested in preserving the natural bushland in the area. They established the Oatley Flora & Fauna Society in 1955 and organised community events, including free film nights, to encourage community engagement and attract new members. They retired from the committee in the 1960s.

In later years, they were active members of the Oatley Amateur Swimming Club, which had been founded in 1927. The Annual General Meeting reports regularly mention both Rafael & Moyia as committee members elected to posts such as Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer from the 1980s-2000s.

These mid-century chairs were likely used in the clubhouse on Woonona Parade, during the many social events that took place after the swimming events each week. Based on the club's journal, the nicknames painted on the chairs may date to c.1985. The social secretary of that year, Barry Whitcombe, wrote a list of some of the members and gave them nicknames and a small explanation. Rafael is listed as ‘Sticks’, which is painted on the red chair, due to his slim physique and preference for swimming backstroke. The second chair refers to Moyia as ‘Dance Queen’, which may be a reference to the parties held by the club.

The Hurstville Museum & Gallery team would love to hear from anyone in the community that has any information about these chairs. Please email museumgallery@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au.

Sofie Dieu, Beyond reflection, drawing-photo on paper, 2021.

Dragon's Lair Gallery

At Hurstville Museum & Gallery we have an exciting line up of Dragon’s Lair Gallery exhibitions planned throughout the winter months, featuring the works of Sofie Dieu, Rebecca Trajkovski and Venessa Possum. These exhibitions will showcase each artist’s unique and compelling artistic styles through their latest artworks.

Past Georges River Artist in Residence, Sofie Dieu, presents Water Memory, Tale of a Rippling Mirror, her new body of work created during her residency at Carss Park. Dieu was inspired by the waterways and the ecosystem of the Georges River to interpret the work of Japanese scientist, Dr Masaru Emoto. This exhibition will be on display 15 May to 6 June 2021.

For Dieu and Possum, their exhibitions will be an opportunity to share the work they have created as a part of the Georges River Artist in Residence program, For Trajkovski, this solo exhibition was awarded to her for winning the Georges River Local Art Prize in 2019 with her work The Board (Series 4). Trajkovski’s exhibition While you were sleeping includes works spanning from 2017 to today. Trajkovski painted these artworks at home on her kitchen bench while on maternity leave and as her son slept. This exhibition will be on display 12 June to 4 July 2021.

As a Dharug-Dharawal woman, Venessa Possum travels throughout her homelands as experiential research to produce a diverse oeuvre of gestural painting, drawing, collage, frottage, photography and video as installations. She used her residency to conduct site specific research of the Georges River and create works that will be presented in her exhibition Nangamay dreams. This exhibition will be on display 10 July to 1 August 2021.