Bunbury Regional Art Gallery exhibition shines a spotlight on important issues and South West artists

An exhibition at the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery is being used as a platform for conversations about important issues, as well as showcasing the region’s creative community. The South West Artists Now exhibition opened in March, with Amanda Bell announced as the overall winner at an awards night on March 15. Bell said she wanted to create a space with her installation to invite the public to reflect on the thoughts and feelings of many about last year’s First Nations Voice to Parliament referendum and Indigenous culture and history. “I was angry. I am angry. That’s why I wrote on the wall,” she said. “I make space so people can come and have an experience, and it’s up to the people how they experience the space. “It’s also about decolonising spaces, which is taking spaces and remaking them, thinking about power differentials and how power works.” Bell said lesser-known stories about Indigenous people in government also inspired her work. She noted a story about prominent politicians including Ernie Bridge in the late 1970s and 1980s as an example. “They sent a drum of fortified wine, so all the Aboriginals would get drunk and not vote for him,” she said. “That is why I have the drum here.” Fellow artist Louise Tasker trained at Curtin University’s School of Art, specialising in jewellery and 3-D design. Having worked with different materials including metal, resin, hair, and wood, she always aims to avoid or minimise causing any harm to the environment with her work. “It’s whatever suits the concept,” Tasker said. The Smith Brook artist said it was important to recognise her work often echoed the feelings of others in the community about important issues such as sustainability, and listening to different reactions and interpretations of her work was a highlight. “There are a lot of works that are dealing with similar sustainability issues throughout the gallery and yet the feedback just reminds me that, you know, I don’t just feel these things myself, you’re echoing what other people are feeling,” Tasker said. “I do feel we’re just talking about the effects of climate change. We’re not talking about controlling climate change. “We’re just talking about how we’re going to cope when it happens, and that certainly saddens me a bit.” Artworks by 27 South West artists are featured across six gallery spaces. The exhibition is open to the public until July 21.