HIROMI TANGO
Art Magic: Remnant A Lismore Regional Gallery Exhibition
Foreword For the past few years, Lismore Regional Gallery has been working hard to engage with the local community in very different ways, across all sorts of projects, so that they become part of the creation of new work. Indeed, the Gallery’s Vision is to: Present challenging new work, by placing artists and community at centre of our practice. Last year, the exhibitions Resistant Obsolescence and Duo: learning the ropes both engaged various sectors of the community in developing new works. They also supported the careers of artists by paying, and commissioning new bodies of work. We see that as intrinsically part of our role. However, in terms of working with sectors of the community, this project by Hiromi Tango, Art Magic: Remnant, has certainly been a massive one. Prior to the exhibition being installed at the Gallery, over 200 people have taken part in the creation of this installation.
image: Hiromi Tango Art Magic: Remnant 2015 photograph Dean Beletich image front cover: Hiromi Tango, photograph: Dean Beletich
This major feat has largely been achieved through the commitment of the project’s Community Engagement Facilitator, Claudie Frock. Claudie worked closely with Hiromi to understand her process, to then be translated to people in the community. Claudie ran the small pop-up shop that operated throughout this phase to run workshops, and also took the project to schools, childcare centres and other locations in the region. A huge thanks to all the groups that participated including: RED Inc, Lismore TAFE, Jarjum Centre Preschool, Lismore Yarn Guerillas, The Crafty Mummas, Jiggi Makers Circle, The Village Artists, Tuntable Falls Community Preschool and Primary School, Alstonville Public School, Friends Child Care Centre, Lismore Deaf Artists Group and Lismore Rainforest Botanical Gardens; and to filmmakers David Lowe and Eve Jeffries from Cloudcatcher Media. Thanks to project curator, Kezia Geddes, who brought a great deal of sensitivity and understanding to Hiromi’s work and managing the project, Amy Miller for additional support, including the design of this catalogue and Dr Andrew Binns for his considered essay. Given the scale of this project, I would like to thank the number of funders that supported this project: Australia Council for the Arts, Arts NSW and of course Lismore City Council. And finally, thanks to Hiromi Tango, who so willingly embraced the unknown, but found herself leaving a decent amount of magic in Lismore.
Brett Adlington Director, Lismore Regional Gallery
Remnant Hiromi Tango Art Magic
Kezia Geddes Curator, Art Magic: Remnant
Hiromi Tango has emerged in recent years as one of Australia’s most interesting and exciting artists. Drawing on her interest in the therapeutic power of art, she creates large-scale installations which are like repositories of emotion, memory, place, and the substance of the people and communities she works with. It has been a great privilege that we have been able to engage an artist of such integrity and calibre to create Art Magic: Remnant, an exhibition in and of Lismore. Situated on the Wilson’s River and surrounded by lush green hills, Lismore is a unique and powerful place. Its rich, natural environment is an important factor in people deciding to make it their home. So too its community informs this choice. Lismore is in the heart of the “Rainbow Region” – an expression that reflects the extraordinary diversity of the population. It was fitting then that Lismore’s community and environment came to be such an important part of Tango’s work here. Named after the small pockets of remnant rainforest that remain in the region, the project is not only about Lismore’s identity now; it looks to the past and future. It imagines Lismore as a rainforest and kangaroo grasslands site, restoring this ecosystem to a pristine state.
03
Remnant brings together pieces made by community members who have worked closely with Tango, using her “Art Magic” techniques to make a site-specific work. The project has culminated as a fantastical ecosystem, sprouting out of the walls, floor and ceiling of the gallery. The exhibition contains elements inspired by native plant species that grow (or have grown) in the region. It is a hinterland of woven yarn and fabric, populated by local animals, insects, and imaginary hybrid creatures. Each element of the work relates to the next in a precarious but elegant balance. More than an artwork, for those working inside this project, it has accumulated a deep ecology of its own – a group of new and old friends brought together in a shared experience of making. Casting attention back to the inception of this project, Hiromi Tango was invited by the team at Lismore Regional Gallery to present an exhibition working with local community members in February 2014. Having recently made her home at Tweed Heads, she was immediately interested in the project as it represented an opportunity to deepen her connections with the region. Furthermore, Lismore sang to an inner ideology. Tango knew the region through her in-laws (who have lived in Lismore at various points) and she liked what it represented. Lismore and the greater region actively encourages acceptance of alternative cultures, lifestyles and approaches. Tango spent her early years in rural Japan. Lismore is a romantic equivalent of where she grew up, but freer and less bound by tradition. Tango’s extensive experience working with communities in Australia and overseas has made her well aware that genuine collaboration is an all-consuming process. Projects include Hiromi Hotel: Moon Jellies (Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre, Sydney 2013); Traces – Blue (with Craig Walsh at Art Setouchi, Japan, 2013); Home – Gwangju (with Craig Walsh, Gwangju Biennale, Korea, 2012); Hiromi Hotel – Mixed Blood, ‘Primavera’, (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, 2011) and a series of community engagement projects developed to foster awareness of mental health issues through the arts in Western Australia through FIVE (DADAA, 2013 - 2014). Tango was keen to work with Lismore’s community which is so empowered by strong grassroots. Sparks flew in our initial meeting. There was an immediate rapport between Tango and Claudie Frock, who would help facilitate the ongoing community engagement for the project. Frock is a respected arts educator with her own practice as a visual artist and
performer. These strengths and her established local connections were crucial to the value and success of the project. Collaboration is an important and unusual aspect of Tango’s practice. From the beginning of her career, she has blurred boundaries between herself and her audience, inviting people to work alongside her and even co-author her work. In doing this, Tango is letting us into what for her is an extremely subjective space. Her work is a kind of embodiment of her emotional being – an extension of her. What is more, her meditative processes, and the vibrant colours and textures of her materials, have been a tincture for dealing with her own anxiety. Tango’s experience of the therapeutic value of her work, and its potential to facilitate meaningful connections with others, has been part of her impetus for sharing her process. Knowing this, and that the public domain is not without scrutiny, it is all the more courageous that she is so drawn to collaboration. Working with others Tango offers a creative structure to make within and embellish on. Her “Art Magic” consists of a range of “Recipes” that offer step by step explanations of processes she has developed over a number of years. These Recipes are designed to be applied by a diverse range of people. Participants in Remnant included individuals and community group members representing a broad cross-section of the community, with an array of strengths, interests and experiences. The key groups and organisations were; RED Inc (a service provider for people who identify as living with a disability), Lismore TAFE Visual Arts, Jarjum Centre, Lismore Yarn Guerillas, The Crafty Mummas, Jiggi Makers Circle, The Village Artists, Tuntable Falls Community Preschool and Primary School, Alstonville Public School, Friends Child Care Centre, Lismore Deaf Artists Group and volunteers from Lismore Rainforest Botanical Gardens. When collaborating, Tango actively avoids having her own agenda, keeping outcomes open and allowing her work to evolve organically in response to community input and dialogue. This generosity continues at every stage of her process, as she encourages participants to contribute ideas, to make and perform. Tango is like the director of her community engaged work, but her attitude is never controlling. For previous projects she has even tried to relinquish this role, and offer it to someone else. Ultimately, the difficulty of this is the work is so much a part of Tango – it could not exist without her. Remnant has been a poignant example of how this all comes into play. Embarking on it, we had a loose idea that it would respond to the local environment, however, beyond this the picture was undefined. At the earliest opportunity, Tango asked participants to provide ideas for exhibition content and suggest the palette. Dialogue was achieved through simple questions to the twelve core groups. Layer upon layer, their responses defined the project, creating markers of what it was as it evolved
04
image: Hiromi Tango, Art Magic Workshop Tuntable Falls Community Preschool photograph: Rebecca Rushbrook image previous page: photograph: Natsky
and grew. Participants’ suggestions were worked in largely through Tango’s Recipes, which could be easily applied to form elements of the “rainbow rainforest”. Mark Dunphy, director of the Firewheel Rainforest Nursery, was also consulted to suggest plants endemic to Lismore. Key words were offered by the community to help it to creatively grow. “Macaranga” and “bleeding heart” were among suggestions. These pioneer trees that grow in the first stage of rainforest regeneration ignited Tango’s imagination. Their large, heart shaped leaves soon began to appear in various incarnations, nurturing growth to come. Animals and creatures crept in. Like the “wompoo fruit dove”, one of the more magnificent of the Big Scrub residents. Lack of habitat has meant the wompoo is rarely sighted in Lismore today, but its inclusion was important to the idea that our rainforest would be healthy enough for these birds to flourish. Groups also offered imagery which had particular relevance to them. The Lismore Deaf Artists Group offered the “butterfly”, a beautiful visual metaphor for sign language. RED Inc suggested the “firewheel”, which is a rainforest tree with a striking red flower, structured like a circle of people, holding hands. Jarjum Centre Preschool suggested Dirawong, the goanna. Because Lismore is subtropical, green life constantly shoots from cracks in the buildings and pavement in its urban centre. The tenacity of this growth raises questions about how long it would take for nature to recover the city given the chance. This theme of regeneration was another important one for the project. It also has clear parallels with emotional healing, a constant subject in Tango’s work. Everything in Tango’s practice is designed to break down barriers and interact with her audience in a genuine way. She is drawn to working with people whose expertise is not in art, asking them to contribute knowledge and research. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, our relationship with art has been mitigated by the art establishment, which is frequently reluctant to address the question of what art is actually for. Tango’s belief that it should be more than just “art for art’s sake” circumvents this, and has led her to explore the tangible value of her work both within and outside that institution. Tango has done considerable work with health professionals, taking her perception that her creative processes might be helpful to healthy brain development and emotional wellbeing into the domain of science. The activity of Art Magic has benefits in alleviating anxiety, improving brain function, and bringing people together in a safe and structured environment to be creative and play. It is almost always the finished product we get to appreciate in visual art. Tango challenges this; using everything she can to build a valuable connection with her audience. If we consider that in a sense her audience members are also her collaborators, her audience is most certainly active.
07
Tango’s adoption of characters is also part of this aspiration to make her work accessible. She regularly performs with and inhabits her work, bringing another dimension to it. Her use of performance not only animates the work, it gives it a voice, literally. The characters are like guides to help us have a fuller experience and understanding, but they are also part of the utter immersion of the work. Everything that Tango can adopt to be part of her work becomes woven in.
image: Hiromi Tango Art Magic: Remnant 2015 photograph: Dean Beletich
For Art Magic: Remnant, Tango created the rainforest creature MOMO, also inviting participants to take on a character. This invitation was clearly taken up at the exhibition opening, when many came elaborately dressed in pieces they had made through the course of the project. For those who have never explored an alternative persona before, it can be a transformative experience. Significantly, throughout Remnant, Claudie Frock took on the character of Auntie Figgy, complementing MOMO in her mission to grow and support the exhibition and the people involved. When you enter the exhibition at Lismore Regional Gallery, the first thing you see is a large heart, occupying the centre of the gallery. Its open form means you can actually step inside it to be as close as possible to this highly tactile work. It is adopted again from the bleeding heart leaf, which came to be a central motif from the start of the project. Its incomplete form is also symbolic, as it is completed by the audience moving around it. Tango was well aware of the hearts in Lismore and there could not be a more fitting symbol for the exhibition. “Come to the heart” is a phrase devised by Lismore Tourism, but it has been lovingly picked up by locals to express pride in the city. Little metal hearts have been popping up all over Lismore for a number of years now, kind interventions by our favourite (anonymous) graffiti artist. Tango had a reverence for Lismore community, an engaged and ideological bunch who are also undeniably discerning. She was determined to bring the community’s efforts together with an exhibition that would amaze and surprize. The exhibition opening was backgrounded with laughter, sighs and a sense of pride and collective achievement. Art Magic: Remnant is a project that will be remembered for years to come.
Michelle Dawson & Lucy Murray DUO studio shot 2014 photograph: Michael Moynihan & Alby Moran
08
The Art of Calming Dr Andrew Binns General Practitioner, Goonellabah Medical Centre Jullums Lismore Aboriginal Medical Centre
Stress and anxiety seem to be part of most people’s lives today. There is always something to worry about partly fed by the 24-hour news cycle of alarming issues and the frenetic pace of life. Social media anxiety is also common, particularly amongst the younger generation. A hundred years ago people no doubt had other matters to concern them such as world wars and infectious disease epidemics, but this does not lessen the encompassing pressures of the digital age. Post-traumatic stress disorder from adverse childhood experience or other major trauma is also common in our society. It is a condition we are becoming increasingly aware of in the health profession. The mental and physical health implications of this in later life are a major challenge for those that suffer as well as those who care for them. Medications and psychological therapies can be of benefit but they do not wipe out all the painful memories, flashbacks and the suppressed and dissociated thoughts loitering in the brain. Some sufferers look to drugs, tobacco and alcohol as an easy and immediate way of self-medicating, but the excessive amounts needed to quell anxiety can be extremely harmful. So are there other ways to calm the mind? Creative arts activities are well recognised for their therapeutic benefit. This may include music, dance, visual art, craft, theatre, writing and all forms of storytelling. 09
Hiromi Tango’s Art Magic involves so many of these cross art forms and she has the natural ability to engage people from all walks of life for activities that are calming, uplifting and a lot of fun. Furthermore, she is committed to inspiring others to use her techniques and build a community of people working towards a common goal that sustains a project’s philosophy. In the case of Art Magic: Remnant, this goal is an exhibition, wherein community input and Tango’s own contribution are brought together in a site-specific work. I had a chance to see the project evolving on Carrington Street in Lismore’s CBD. A team of participants were sitting outside in the warmth of the sun, working together and chatting informally about their daily lives. Passers-by also interacted, struck by vibrancy of colours and textures being worked with. The bright rainbow coloured woven sculptures that were emerging seemed to tell their own positive stories and relate meaningfully to the surrounding environment. Observing the work in progress makes one smile and feel involved with the process. The participants were clearly focused, relaxed and enjoying themselves. It strikes me that we seldom take the opportunity to connect with others in this way. This getting together to exchange ideas without worry, pressure or preconceptions is something that is missing from the lives of many. Tango’s Art Magic achieves this and the structure of it is such that participants do not have to concern themselves with the end result, and the stress associated with success or failure.
The City of Lismore and surrounding area is an ideal place to mount such a project. We have a strong community spirit with many voluntary community groups as well as being conscious of our environment and its protection for future generations. The rainforest regeneration theme is a major drawcard for community participation and a great way to involve children in environmental awareness and conservation. Art therapy is based on the idea that the creative process of art making is healing and life enhancing – a form of nonverbal communication. Tango does not consider herself a professional art therapist but there is no doubt her art is therapy for those who participate as well as for those who view and appreciate her work. In the case of this project, participants were not necessarily suffering from anxiety; however the therapeutic concerns of Tango’s work are something she has had an ongoing interest in. Creating works of art or craft is an effective activity for working with both adults and children coping with many conditions affecting brain function, including trauma. The experience may act as a form of subconscious expression where hidden inner conflicts and emotions are aired. The process can engender self-esteem, self-awareness and lift the spirit. There has always been a fascination amongst neuroscientists about the anatomy of the brain and function and in recent years this knowledge has advanced further with technological advances in magnetic resonance neuroimaging (MRIs) which allows for observing which part of the brain responds to specific stimuli. When a traumatic event is recalled neuroimaging can demonstrate dis-association (which can manifest as amnesia, de-personalisation and emotional detachment). The left prefrontal cortex, specifically Broca’s area (responsible for speech) remains relatively inactive whilst the right hemisphere, the region around the amygdala (associated with emotion and arousal from fear), is particularly active. This fear overpowering our ability to verbally communicate can be reversed by relaxing and meditative activities which can regulate and calm down the biological stress response. Tango’s workshops engage the five senses in a way that has the potential to stimulate the areas of the brain relating to pleasure whilst shutting down the neurophysiological connections relating to fear. What really matters is the benefit participants gain from these Tango’s processes or activities. Testimonials gathered after the project speak for themselves and the positive feedback from Tango’s workshops is very impressive. Whether someone has experienced major trauma, suffers from brain impairment from whatever cause, or is a skilled artist in their own right, the response to being involved with Art Magic: Remnant has been overwhelmingly positive. Those who experience Tango’s workshops are likely take away a feeling of being more connected and to find themselves in a more relaxed and positive frame of mind. Such is the magic of Hiromi Tango’s art.
10
Discussion Kezia Geddes speaks with Hiromi Tango & Claudie Frock
Kezia Geddes: Hiromi, interactivity and community engagement are often part of the process and ideology of your art. What draws you to this way of working? Hiromi Tango: Well, that is a very hard question to answer as I have so much to say Kezia. I think the essence for me is the process of how we build a new form of relationship through arts engagement, and how we rebuild the emotional landscape of the region as an outcome – a kind of a subjective, dynamic landscape. I often talk about the emotional recovery process, but when psychological, neurological, and physical transformation happens through arts, it is a delicious natural medicine.
11
I need to emphasise that the arts do not necessarily have to cure us, but for me when it happens it is a miracle. I get excited to witness the transformation and positive energy generated in a community when they come together to create, dance and share experiences. When participants gently unwrap their emotions and memories – particularly very personal and difficult parts of themselves, it adds to the intensity of the artworks. I listen and engage very carefully, and weave difficult emotions and memories with lots of sparks. I enjoy the layered, complex, slow process. For me the relationship built through arts engagement is really intimate, fun and sincere. It is comforting. It might be my own way of addressing discomfort over everyday social engagement. I find it quite stressful to be often expected to be quick, short, and clear. Securing a physical and textured social art space where you can safely be “yourself” without stress is important for me.
image this page: community briefing session RED Inc, photograph: Natsky image previous page: photograph: Natsky
image left: Art Magic Workshop Tuntable Falls Primary School photograph: Rebecca Rushbrook image right: Hiromi Tango & Claudie Frock photograph: Rebecca Rushbrook
KG: In conceptualising Art Magic: Remnant, it was important to you and to us that the project represented this region and community. How did you create a space to enable this? HT: The concept development and artistic direction was strictly to be responsive to Lismore and its locality, and its beautiful natural and cultural environment. Even though Art Magic was an existing concept [Tango first developed the concept of Art Magic in 2013], it was important to create something unique about Lismore. Originally we discussed the theme/inspiration of the site of Minyon Falls, but site accessibility was a concern. And although it’s a very beautiful place in this region, in the end it did not have any inherent relevance to you or the participants. Then we came up with a theme more generally based on the Northern Rivers and which more people could immediately connect with. The theme we discussed was looking at this area as having been largely rainforest, and developing work and ideas based on the remnants of this and how they reclaim ground, in both pastoral and urban contexts. The theme seemed to link well with the idea of healing, as well as achieving perfection and balance in the imperfect. I attentively responded to the Lismore Regional Gallery team’s suggestions and directions as a starting point. Then we held a briefing session at the very beginning of the project to discuss the Art Magic: Remnant concept, and asked the community to have further input into the concept development. In each step of the process, we have invited the community as much as possible to freely and dynamically express themselves. By carefully and attentively being responsive to the community’s voice, I believe we were able to ensure genuine community input. The Lismore region has a wealth of natural and cultural beauty and diversity, which provided us with the clear starting point for the Remnant community project. From there it tends to grow organically, through the contributions that every
14
person who participates or engages as an audience member makes. I believe that every community has its particular attributes, strengths, interests and concerns. For each community project I have had the opportunity to learn about these, and use art making processes as a way of drawing out stories, ideas and issues. Engaging people through these art making processes, inviting them to donate materials, and simply taking the time to listen as people begin to share their stories – this is integral to the creation of a community work. KG: Claudie Frock’s role and contribution as Community Engagement Facilitator was also crucial for this project?
15
HT: Over the last few years, I have had the pleasure of working with many wonderful community facilitators including Claudie. The role of Community Facilitator originated out of necessity; as the mother of two young children, and also juggling project commitments across Australia and internationally, I physically am not able to contribute the hours needed to be on hand to share Art Magic techniques with community members over many weeks. Additionally, I have found working with a local facilitator has important benefits, including their local knowledge that enriches the project, and the element of sustainability that is cultivated when a local facilitator becomes highly skilled in the process. It is important that the impact of a project can continue on with the community over time, rather than being a one-off engagement that ends when the lead artist goes home. I particularly enjoyed working with Claudie, as she is a great performance artist and well-loved art educator. The extensive networks that Claudie brought with her through her work with community groups and members were a great asset to the project. The trust between the community members and Claudie that already existed was a huge contribution that further enhanced the accessibility of the project. I explained the process, and Claudie clearly understood and delivered the workshops wonderfully. Claudie deserves a lot of credit for the way that her dedication and personality made her the perfect facilitator as Aunty Figgy for the Art Magic: Remnant project. Kezia: Claudie, can you explain how the community was initially engaged? Claudie Frock: In the origins of the project there were a number of core community groups who we knew we wanted to
image left: Hiromi Tango Art Magic: Remnant 2015, Lismore Regional Gallery photograph: Natsky image right: Hiromi Tango Art Magic: Remnant Kids’ activities at opening 2015, Lismore Regional Gallery photograph: Natsky
work with, such as RED Inc, a fantastically innovative and unique disability organisation based in Lismore (I’ve had a long association with RED Inc through their creative arts program) and Jarjum Centre Preschool. The rest of the community groups and individual participants were engaged through a call-out about the Remnant project on social media, via our eNews, and films by Cloudcatcher Media on YouTube and Vimeo. This call-out piqued the interest of the community and our core community groups swelled to twelve, with hundreds of people eventually taking part in the project. We invited people from the region to respond to the idea of Lismore as a remnant rainforest. People responded with words and stories of places and moments important to them. Through this process we garnered which groups might be keen to be part of Art Magic: Remnant. A number of craft and arts groups responded to our call-out and the wonderful Crafty Mummas, Lismore Yarn Guerillas and Lismore Deaf Arts Group, really came to the fore regularly visiting the Pop-up Shop and taking materials and Art Magic Recipes into the community to make Art Seeds with others. Jiggi Makers Circle, The Village Artists, TAFE Visual Arts class, RED Inc, and schools and preschools such as Tuntable Falls Community, Friends Preschool and later Alstonville Public School came together in their homes, studios and in the classroom to create the beautiful Art Seeds that have been woven into the Rainbow Forest. The lovely thing about the Remnant project is that the Art Magic techniques Hiromi has developed are very accessible and we have had a truly diverse group of people engaging in the process. Some people came to the project with specific craft based skills and others found the structured yet open style of Art Magic allowed them to make work that flowed quite naturally. image: Art Magic Workshop Lismore, photograph: Natsky
KG: As people engaged, there were a few who stepped into more involved roles. HT: Each community is unique, and has members with different strengths. It is amazing how the various talents of individuals who demonstrate particular commitment to a project help to shape the outcome. In terms of the experience with the Lismore region, there were so many interactions between artists, community groups and members. It indicates a strong and healthy community. I was really happy to witness how the project grew. It was an inspiring experience for me with such diverse and vigorous engagement by the community. CF: We are very fortunate to have such a large number of artists and craftspeople living in the Northern Rivers region. When we began the project several people really came to the party to share their skills and time very generously. Some people took on roles as community facilitators and went out into the community to make Art Magic with others. Nell Wilkin from The Lismore Yarn Guerillas gave her time visiting Alstonville Public School to do Art Magic activities with the students. Local artist, Heather Jessup, took on an Artist in Residence position at Tuntable Falls Community Preschool where she shared the Art Magic process with the kids. Artist and educator, Rene Bolten, spent time with RED Inc and the TAFE Arts Advanced Diploma group, creating Art Seeds.
18
images left & right: Art Magic Workshop Tuntable Falls Preschool & Community School photographs: Rebecca Rushbrook
19
At the Pop-up Shop the Crafty Mummas group were very faithful in their weekly visits and members such as Carolyn Carey, Heidi Reid and Rebecca Andre really embraced the process and generously shared it with their friends, family and the greater community.
different lens for looking at your own community – how might things look through another’s eyes. There is both a sense of safety, as well as the encouragement to look at things differently.
KG: A lot of evocative imagery came out of the community engagement.
I create the character specific to the project. In the case of Remnant this was the rainbow creature, MOMO. I also invite community members to create their own character relating to the project and ideas we are exploring.
HT: The Lismore region provides a rich tapestry to work with. Working with local experts, we identified some of the key phrases and natural assets that are important to the region’s identity. For example “Rainbow Region”, the macaranga and bleeding heart trees (pioneer rainforest species), fruit dove, etc. I particularly related to bleeding heart. KG: Claudie – you were an enabler of this. CF: Art Magic: Remnant grew naturally from a very authentic place. The process of collecting stories or information from people about their sense of place here in the Rainbow Region came from the call-out on social media, discussions around dinner and moments shared together in the Pop-up Shop. It was really fitting to start with the concept of Remnant as the project then had a place to grow from. The local natural motifs such as the bleeding heart leaf were a great visual image that allowed people a concrete yet whimsical place to springboard from. We used the remnant landscape as an inspiration to create the Art Seeds that grew a connection with and for the different communities that participated. KG: Hiromi – you often use a character to engage community. HT: In Japan, through my university research, I was engaged with traditional Japanese theatre (Noh) and the creation of a character to act as sort of a spirit guide is very relevant for me. The mask of the character gives people permission to step outside the usual constraints of what is shared or not shared. In creating a fantasy character, it also provides a
KG: Claudie – your professional experience spans visual art, performance, teaching (primary, secondary teaching and early childhood) and working in the disability sector. You have worked extensively with Roundabout Theatre and as a Clown Doctor and you are also behind Lismore Regional Gallery’s popular children’s art tour guide, Peggy Popart. What is your experience of performance as a means to engage people? CF: I often use performative characters in my own art practice. There is a playful quality to being a character and it also offered a way for me to express the project’s theme of remnant rainforest. Aunty Figgy was inspired by a big old fig tree that lives outside Lismore Regional Gallery. I love fig trees and Aunty Figgy is my representation of the natural and cultural elements of the Lismore region. Aunty Figgy became a conduit through which Art Magic could pass in a fun and performative way during workshops. Generally I find people, especially children, love the aspect of performance and characters. I saw that people were really enchanted by MOMO and were very excited to be invited to create their own characters and costumes. In this big busy world where we often have to behave in very sensible ways, Art Magic offers an opportunity towards imaginative playfulness.
20
When MOMO and Aunty Figgy visited Tuntable Falls Community School and Preschool the kids were so taken with the characters and one of the little girls Indi went home to her mum and said with wide eyed admiration “The beautiful ladies came to visit us today…” KG: Hiromi has a truly cross-disciplinary approach to art and community engagement. What were your observations of this Claudie, and how did you go taking this up yourself? CF: During the first visit that MOMO and Aunty Figgy made to Jarjum Centre Preschool, I intently watched how MOMO played with the kids and told them about Art Magic: Remnant. It was very special to see how she used performative sound, movement and colour to engage the kids. I wanted to stay true to MOMO’s playful ways so I used these elements when visiting other schools and preschools. Aunty Figgy really was a fun character to express Art Magic through and I loved building a feeling for the kids of a fantastic Rainbow Forest world, full of creatures that play and sleep and plants that grow and twinkle. There was a lovely moment when MOMO and Aunty Figgy visited the Friends Preschool and MOMO talked about the pink and blue nests the kids had made in terms warm and cool emotions, and how the kids can deal with things in life that bring strong emotions. It really showed me how all-encompassing Hiromi’s Art Magic can be for supporting people’s emotional health and wellbeing. KG: Hiromi, you use the term “Art Magic” to describe your process. What is Art Magic and what are some of the outcomes of it? 21
HT: I began to use the term Art Magic to describe the benefits of purposeful art making processes that combine sensory experiences and meditative activities through textile work. This encompasses sorting, wrapping, performance, sound, colour, light, and even aromatherapy. My interest is in the potential for healthy brain development/emotional recovery to be affected through these art making and arts engagement processes. Over time, many community members referred to the effect of these processes as being “magic”. This is how the term Art Magic came to be. The outcomes can include increased social engagement, because Art Magic workshops tend to bring people together. As part of Art Magic, participants share an activity and discuss many things. There can be cathartic experiences as people use the process as a means of talking through difficult memories. This helps to create a stronger sense of identity and social connectedness within a community through working together and creating
image Art Magic Workshop Tuntable Falls Community School photograph: Rebecca Rushbrook
something everyone is proud of. I have also undertaken a lot of research on the specific brain development/recovery benefits of these activities, which can include a reduction in anxiety, and improvement in executive functioning as a result of the meditative, repetitive actions. In this way Art Magic is similar to tai chi or yoga, for example, where you place your focus on something very intensely, and in the process let go of preoccupying concerns. KG: Claudie, what was your experience working as a facilitator of Art Magic? What do you feel it does for people? CF: It was such a pleasure for me to be out in the community. It’s one of my favourite things in the world to connect with people and share stories. I was really impressed with the participant’s making skills and also the flexibility and courage of those who dived right in and had a go even if they didn’t have specific making skills. It also says a lot for Hiromi’s Art Magic Recipes and techniques which act as a great framework to work within. The Pop-up Shop offered a lovely place to be every Thursday for the three months. People came with their children and friends. Many people communicated that the process of Art Magic was therapeutic and inspiring and they loved the intentional aspect of creating connections through art within the community. As we had people from RED Inc and the Lismore Deaf Artists Group, it was important that we provided accessible spaces and an Auslan Interpreter to ensure the project was fully accessible to everyone. KG: Hiromi, what is your reasoning for coining terms such as “Art Magic”, “Art Recipes”, “Art Seeds”?
23
HT: Often people do not identify as artists, and the process of creating artwork might be intimidating or alienating. Terms like “Art Magic” help to communicate complex ideas in a very accessible and approachable way. It also plays to the sense of fun and enjoyment. I want everyone to feel they have a place in the process, and that they have the knowledge to fully participate. The term “Art Seed” is also an important one which helps people to understand the process and to contribute to ideas in the work. The Art Seeds are kind of like a starter plant from which an installation work, like a forest, can grow. I often bring Art Seeds from prior projects to help with the germination of a new community project. KG: Hiromi, you have worked extensively with communities across Australia, but also internationally, in Japan, Korea and Belgium. What have you learned from working with such diverse communities? Was there anything distinct or surprising about the way in which the Lismore community got involved in this project? HT: One of the constantly surprising things about working with such diverse communities is how many shared concerns we have as human beings. For example, exploring the idea of home in different cultural and geographic contexts brought many common concerns to the fore. By the same token, each community is unique, and the process of uncovering those aspects is one of the most rewarding things about a community-engaged practice. The response from the community in Lismore has been a constant surprise, and I have learned so much by working with the Lismore Regional Gallery team, you, Claudie, and other wonderful community groups, facilitators and members. Aunty Figgy and MOMO were welcomed into the particular art forest of the Lismore region, and we all felt very safe. Successful engagement involves reciprocal interaction and dialogue, and it was evident that we grew constantly as a group, and the flow and the excitement was evident. I couldn’t wish for more. So I would like to congratulate the Lismore art forest for being such a fantastic place to be. Thank you for changing my perception of community engagement. I constantly felt energised by the grassroots action and physical togetherness. It was refreshing.
image Art Magic Workshop photograph: Natsky
BIG THANKS TO Hiromi Tango Claudie Frock: Community Engagement Facilitator Kezia Geddes: Curator Film-makers: David Lowe & Eve Jeffries, Cloudcatcher Media Artist’s Assistants: Helen Miller (Costume & Mask Designer), Sachiko Gardener, Coleen White, Jane Fisher, Marthese Pierce, Ayuko Oba, Tomoe Suzuki, Hiromi Stample, Junko Thomsen Workshop participants and community group members played a crucial role in creating Art Magic: Remnant. A big thank you to everyone for their enthusiasm and dedication in the realisation of this project. Village Artists: Ros Little, Marianne Trent, Elaine Thornhill, Kerry Harvey Crafty Mummas: Carolyn Carey & son Fox, Heidi Reid & daughter Opie, Rebecca Andre & daughter Poppy, Megan Innow & daughter Pippa, Louise Irving & son Theodore, Diana Devai & children Sapphire & Ruben, Mandy Wyford & daughter Anaya Wyford RED Inc Art Group, Sewing Group, Dance Group: Jennifer Lowrey, Justine Rose, Ray Parry, Leanne Rose, Theo Mcpherson, Peter Dickson, John Rose Nathan Gooley, Peter Macdonald, Amy Serone, Nikola Coby, Tiffany Hilder, Lucas Wright, John Cieslak, Madeline Fletcher, Lara Cruikshank, Phillip Blackman, Noele Karta, Mbatha Nguta, Jacob Martin, Maree Barby, Madison Ackerly, Poppy Mcarthy, Carla Davey, Sammi Hollaway, Nicolette Fitzsimmons, Rick Wilde, Zilpha Menghetti, Rene Bolten, Jeremy Hawkes, Maryse Hill, Shanna Eyres, Marie Gale, Josie Donnelly, Jenny London North Coast TAFE Visual Arts Advanced Diploma Group: Sarah Wright, Sophia Watson, Robyn Staines, Peter Salkeld, Victoria Pitel, Jared Mortison, Relle Loker, Rene Bolten, Steven Giese Jiggi Makers Circle: Maree Bracker, Evelyn Parkin, Eva Thompson, Liz McIntyre, Gail Chapman, Jillian Anderson, Kerrie O’Neill, Judy Sheldon, Sue-Ellen Taylor, Gisela Hartke, Anne Marie Wood Lismore Yarn Guerillas: Nell Wilkin, Blake Wilkin, Lane Wilkin, Jade Johnston, Anna Hunter, Zanni Louise, Elka Louise, Rosie Louise, Sarah Jones, Monica Hodge 25
Alstonville Public School: Students & Staff Jarjum Centre Preschool: Students & Staff Tuntable Falls Community Preschool & Primary School: Students & Staff Heather Jessup: Artist in Residence at Tuntable Falls & key Art Magic Facilitator at Tuntable Preschool Friends Childcare Centre: Students & Staff Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens: Geoff Walker & Friends of Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens Volunteers Lismore Deaf Artists Group: Sharon Leu, Sarah Leu, Patricia Elliot & grandchildren Grace, Isabella & Jack, Andrew Parry, Kathy McIntyre, Sigrid Macdonald, Barney Lund, Freya Lund, Robert Fredricks, Hilary Mcpherson (Auslan Interpreter) Centre Church: Emily Joose, Mark Joose & children Zion & Heaven Lily, Janeece Korn, Jen Murray, Alvina, Tandra & children, Daria, Mia, Joel & Gabriel
image: Art Magic: Remnant opening Lismore Regional Gallery photograph: Natsky
Tuntable Falls Community Art Magic Ideas Group: Sky Rocket May, Virginia Waters, Jericho Waters, Elvis Callaghan, Istvan Kohari, Kye Cooper Naomi Mikkelson, Babara Mikkelson, Zoe Wyllie, Taj Wyllie, Amelie Mikkelsen, Emily Imeson, Wally McGregor, Elizabeth McNeill, Arty McNeill, Christine Scott, Paul Sullivan, Kirsten Clerke, Claire Salkeld, Laila Salkeld, Alvina Susanne, Lee & Phoenix, Helen & Arlen Miller
26
image: Hiromi Tango photograph: Dean Beletich
Hiromi Tango Art Magic: Remnant 12 September - 24 October 2015
29
image: Hiromi Tango Art Magic: Remnant photograph: Dean Beletich
Published by Lismore Regional Gallery
Lismore Regional Gallery staff
Catalogue credits:
131 Molesworth Street, Lismore NSW Australia 2480 T. 61(2) 6622 2209 E. artgallery@lismore.nsw.gov.au www.lismoregallery.org
Brett Adlington Kezia Geddes Amy Miller Claudie Frock
The artworks and images are courtesy the artist
Director Curator Admin Manager & Off-site projects Learning Officer
ISBN: 978-0-9579312-9-9 Catalogue Design: Amy Miller
Images and text are copyright of the artist, writers, photographers and Lismore Regional Gallery
All rights reserved. Except under the conditions described in the Australian Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, duplicating or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Contact Lismore Regional Gallery for all permission requests.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body
Hiromi Tango is represented by Sullivan + Strumpf, Sydney
images left to right: Art Magic: Remnant photograph: Dean Beletich Art Magic Workshop photograph: Natsky Art Magic community briefing session Lismore Art Space photograph: Natsky image back page: Hirmoi Tango 2015 photograph: Dean Beletich
30