Exhibitions in Focus: VRROOOM

Vrrooom

2013 Children’s Exhibition

24 May – 4 August 2013

Always a popular fixture of the Townsville arts calendar, the Annual Children’s Exhibition for 2013 used motor vehicles as a central visual motif to explore connected issues such as technology, travel and the environment.

The exhibition, which attracted 7, 011 enthusiastic participants by the end of the 2012/13 financial year, included works by some of the nation’s leading contemporary artists, such as Patricia Piccinini, Archibald Prize-winning artist Ben Quilty, Ben Morieson, Michael Zavros, Margaret Dodd, Eamon O’Toole and Robert Moore.

Councillor Sue Blom, Chair of the Community and Cultural Committee, said “the annual exhibition makes a significant contribution to the artistic development of our young citizens, and also to the vibrancy and variety of free activity available to families.”

“Great activities for the kids included plasticine scene sculpting, comic drawing and development, and abstract drawing using a driving video game.”

Shane Fitzgerald, Manager Gallery Services, said “a number of significant loans were secured to deliver a very dynamic and engaging exhibition for the whole family; one which stimulated thought and the production of some art by young visitors.”

The exhibition exposed young visitors to works created in all mediums, including film, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, prints, murals, and photographs. Most importantly, a host of engaging activities were developed to reflect the artworks, and engender critical thinking and participation. This included a thorough Education Kit disseminated to all local schools, a free Activity Booklet, and secondary level prompting questions stationed at each artwork.

VRROOOM also enabled Gallery Services to partner with one of Townsville’s major civic events, the Sucrogen Townsville 400, to reach a broader audience and benefit from increased promotion.

The Design Your Own Car drawing activity, permanently situated within the exhibition, was the catalyst for a rewarding partnership with the V8 Supercars, and specifically with Team Erebus. The competition encouraged children to draw their most imaginative car, with a selection of 22 of the very best designs transformed into large-scale stickers and displayed at The Galleria from 9 July – 4 August.

The winning artist would have their design produced as a sticker and applied to Tim Slade’s Team Erebus V8 Supercar, and as such it would be displayed to a national audience Sucrogen Townsville 400. Tim Slade selected Amy Butler, 11, of St Joseph’s School, The Strand as the winning artist, and she was also given a tour of the Team Erebus garage upon meeting Tim.

Shane Fitzgerald, Manager Gallery Services, said “the competition proved very popular and unearthed some very talented young artists. Gallery Services is making genuine attempts to reach broad cross sections of the community, including by partnering with leading events in the city. This partnership with both the V8 Supercars and specifically Team Erebus has been a great initiative to achieve this.”

The exhibition as a whole also continued Gallery Services’ strong partnership with primary and secondary schools within the region, through the dissemination of education resources related to exhibitions, and the scheduling of numerous class tours and workshops as part of VRROOOM.

Left: Phil Gordon Les 2003

Stoneware and enamel, 19 x 23 x 45cm

Ipswich Art Gallery Collection, 2003 Stock Car 2003

Stoneware and enamel, 13 x 21 x 45cm

Ipswich Art Gallery Collection, 2003