The Cad Factory 2017
Vic McEwan (Artistic Director) and Sarah McEwan (Creative Producer) at their Cad Factory home in Birrego, NSW, Australia, framed by the light of the super moon and traditional land management burnings by farmer Graham Strong. Image: Barbara Bartos and Vic McEwan
The Cad Factory is an artist led organisation creating an international program of new, immersive and experimental work guided by authentic exchange, ethical principles, people and place. We are a multi-disciplinary organisation that engages with the real world to extract poetry from lived experience. We place people at the centre of our arts practice, believing that if the arts is about an exploration of the human condition, then engagement with human beings is the best way to make meaningful work. The Cad Factory embraces opportunities to expand contemporary arts practice by working with diverse sectors such as health, business, education, community and the environment. We work independently and in collaboration to create new contemporary art and performance. We devise, deliver and evaluate what we do within an ethical framework so we can confidently push ourselves and others. Our programming is based on breaking down hierarchies and binaries that exist within our contemporary world; such as the division of regional and urban, man and woman or human and non-human. We understand these realities as being in complex, intra-connected relationships, rather than in opposition. The Cad Factory believes some of the best, most original, innovative and exciting ideas exist just beyond the things we know, where real and imagined borders are porous.
Front and Back Cover: Traditional land management burnings by farmer Graham Strong, Birrego, NSW, Australia. Image: Vic McEwan
Shadows and Consequences: Specimen Falls Creek Residency: 20 February - 5 March Illuminate Festival, Wagga Wagga: 14 - 16 April
Shadows and Consquence is a suite of large scale site specific projection events examining human and non-human relationships. These works will contribute to intelligent and meaningful dialogue around regional locations and histories. Shadows and Consequences: Specimen is a collaboration between a living landscape and the Institute of Anatomy collection from the National Museum of Australia. This project will travel throughout regional NSW and Victoria during 2017 - 18, engaging with local artists, communities and Elders to explore our emotional and practical connection to ideas of colonisation, species loss and place.
Specimen testing, 2015. Image: Vic McEwan
Residency Program Exhibition July - August: Wagga Wagga Art Gallery
In 2016 the Cad Factory held residencies that partnered two visiting artists with two local artists to share and create new work inspired by the landscape and communities of the Riverina. Collaborating artists include: • Italian based Barbara Bartos with Narrandera based Julie Briggs • Sydney based Darrin Baker with Narrandera based Trent Light The atworks developed during the residency will be exhibited at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery in the new media space, The Channel.
Scott Howie, today a flea circus is performing hamlet, Grong Grong Creative House, 2013 residency program. Image: Daniel O’Brien
RE//CREATING
20 February – 10 March, HR Gallop Gallery, Wagga Wagga Critical Conversations Lecture and Closing Event: 10 March 1 - 13 May, Narrandera Arts Centre Opening Event: 30 April RE//CREATING is the third and final exhibition featuring the work of 22 female Riverina artists curated by Dr Julie Montgarrett (Charles Sturt University) and Sarah McEwan. Over the past three years, the exhibitions have aimed to actively address gender inequities in the creative industries. Melbourne artist, Elvis Richardson, whose research has informed the curatorial need for the exhibitions, will be our guest during the closing event.
Aunty Gail Manderson talking about her artwork, Yabunygalang narrbanggalangga, during the RE//CONSTRUCTING critique session with Dr Jacqueline Millner from Sydney University, 2016. Image: Sarah Mifsud
The Harmonic Oscillator From June onwards
Over the last three years Vic McEwan has been working in partnership with Clive Parkinson (Manchester Metropolitian University) at Alder Hey Children’s Hosipital developing the project The Harmonic Oscillator. The multiple outcomes for the project include: • An app delivered in UK and Australian hospitals including; Alder Hey Liverpool, UK; Wagga Wagga, NSW; Mount Gambier, Whyalla and Berri, South Australia • A book written by Clive Parkinson • A radio documentary • New contemporary artworks • An EP of original compositions • The publication of new original research • An exhibition of work at Big Anxiety, Sydney • A residency exchange at the Tate Liverpool, UK, exhibiting outcomes from The Harmonic Oscillator Documentation photo of a child undergoing an MRI brain scan at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital UK, 2015. Image: Vic McEwan
Shadows and Consequences: Shadow Places 28 – 31 October Discussion Evening: 28 October Rural Women’s Gathering Opening: 29 October Open to the Public: 30 & 31 October
Shadow and Consequences: Shadow Places is a large-scale artwork in the Narrandera landscape that features 20 video projections onto round hay bales, with sound and accompanying textile installations. The artwork is informed by the writings of Val Plumwood and explores our human and non-human histories. Open over four days, Shadow Places will: • Present an evening of discussions by academics, Wiradjuri custodians and local farmers • Host the opening event for the Rural Women’s Gathering • Be open to the public to wander and explore for two days
Shadow Places, Powerhouse Museum, 2016. Image: Vic McEwan
International Activity March, April, June
In 2017, the Cad Factory artists will: • Conduct a two week research residency at Duke University, USA with Professor Elizabeth Grosz • Give a presentation and workshop at the National Gallery of Lithuania • Give a keynote presentation at the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Conference in Bristol, UK • A one week residency exchange at the Tate Liverpool, UK, exhibiting outcomes from The Harmonic Oscillator • Attending the 8th Annual Conference on the New Materialisms in Paris, France • Attending documenta 14 in Kassel, Germany • Attending the Sound + Environment 2017 festival and conference in Hull, UK
Minister Troy Grant, with the Arts NSW Regional Fellowship recipients, Sarah McEwan, Dave Burraston and Lee Pemberton, 2016. Image: Alex Wisser
Mentorships and Developments Throughout the Year
Mentorships: • A mentorship exchange with Lindy Hume to share the process of working locally with community and on an international stage • We will mentor local artist Natalie Power in the creation of a new exhibition, Vigil, that traces her last twenty years of work • A one week research mentorship with Dr Jacqueline Millner from Sydney University Developments: • DIRT an artist research camp led by Ros Crisp in Orbost, Victoria and Critical Path, Sydney • I Just Can’t Say That Word with Mayu Kanamori at Sydney University
Into the Fold, Jordy Bos, an Arts NSW Young Regional Scholarship recipient mentored by Sarah McEwan during 2016. Image: Angela Coombs Matthews
Sector Engagement Throughout the Year
In 2017, the Cad Factory artists will hold positions on: • The NSW/ACT Arts and Health Leadership Group • The Board of Music NSW • The Advisory Council for the Australian Centre for Arts and Health • The Advisory Council for the National Museums of Australia’s new gallery development We will write two essays for the National Association for the Visual Arts that explores regional and community based practice and have an active schedule of conference presentations.
Vic McEwan presenting the lecture, Regional Arts Practice in the Post Digital Age, Powerhouse Museum, 2016. Image: Sarah McEwan
The Cad Factory is supported by the NSW Government through Arts NSW. Our 2017 partners include the following organisations: