Make room for a little art in your life over summer

The art scene is as changeable as the seasons, so you’ll want to be quick to catch what’s on at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery this summer. There are some once-in-a-lifetime exhibitions and events, spanning everything from homegrown artists old and new to a famous contemporary British artist and workshops for kids and adults.

From December 10 until February 19, the third iteration of the MPRG’s Collection+ series pairs the work of Britain’s Julian Opie with that of the late Judith Alexandrovics, of Melbourne. Angie Taylor’s careful curation has drawn together this unlikely combination, finding common threads throughout the work of these seemingly disparate artists. Opie is a contemporary London-based artist whose instantly recognisable work often depicts figures and landscapes reduced to their essential outlines and flat colour fields. Alexandrovics’ oeuvre covers the period from the early 1970s until 2019, the year before her death. The exhibition showcases her detailed etchings and aquatints as well as a selection of her larger paintings, which are often the result of her etching studies.

“Both Opie and Alexandrovics create a snapshot of people in unremarkable moments, such as walking through the city, making their way to work, waiting for the tram or train, walking or waiting with an anonymous group of others,” Angie says. “It is a fascinating portrayal of being in the presence of a group but not known to each other.”

Running concurrently at the gallery is Front Beach, Back Beach, the culmination of the multi-sited public art project of the same name that commissioned leading contemporary Australian artists to respond to 15 sites and stories that have shaped the Peninsula. After the public art component last November, this exhibition brings together remnants, objects, traces and documentation of the projects, interweaving and overlaying new perspectives from across the Peninsula. The featured artists are Amanda Shone, Anna Breckon & Nat Randall, Geoff Robinson, Gold Santino, Hiromi Tango, James Geurts, Kait James & Jarra Karalinar Steel, LAST Collective, Lisa Waup, Lucy Bleach, Maree Clarke, Rebecca Jensen & Aviva Endean, Shane McGrath, Taree McKenzie, and Vera Moller.

Young and old alike can get hands-on with creative activities at the MPRG this summer. A special program, Young at Art, will run on three dates in December, introducing under-5s to the wonders of art. With the guidance of an early childhood educator, children respond to works in the current exhibition with a different activity every week, using materials supplied each session. The program encourages fun, experimentation and play through making. At a cost of $10 a child, an arty storytime is included and visitors can also explore the nearby rose garden, playground and duck ponds.

On Monday, January 9, established Peninsula-based artist Catherine Hamilton invites people with a love of music and a passion for drawing to combine the two in an art and music life drawing workshop. Participants will draw the Inventi Ensemble, five featured musicians from the Peninsula Summer Music Festival. After the workshop, there’ll be a concert in the gallery foyer with the drawings on display. There’s no need to be a professional; just have fun with like-minded creatives and see the fascinating fusion of visual art and music.

We may have been waiting a long time for the sunshine and beach days, but there’s plenty of time to put some art into everyone’s summer schedules too.

MORNINGTON PENINSULA REGIONAL GALLERY

Civic Reserve, Dunns Rd, Mornington

T: 5950 1580 | W: www.mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au