As part of the MC Square 10 Year Anniversary celebrations, Manningham Art Studios is opening its doors for a range of free art activities to get you inspired for the new year!

Drop into the studios or our marquee in the forecourt between 11.00am and 3.00pm to try your hand at sketching, painting and hand-building with air-drying clay, and see demonstrations by some of our expert tutors.

Suitable for all ages.

Program of events

Flux is a showcase of Anni Hagberg’s research into the use of unpredictable and fluid combinations of materials in art making and the implications it has on understandings of authorial control. In her ceramic practice, Hagberg fires clay and a range of ‘waste’ materials such as broken glass, discarded steel and dried out glaze to encourage a range of dynamic and unexpected results.

On the one hand, the abstract forms Hagberg produces through this process imitate rubble or decaying architectural features, thereby betraying the secrets of their composition. On the other, they are as familiar and beguiling as any decorative art object, bearing flourishes of colour and captivating textures and patterns.

By approaching materials and processes as co-contributors, Flux seeks to question the idea of individual creative genius, highlighting the gulf that can lie between what an artist intends or imagines their work will look like and what it ends up being. As well, by elevating materials that are otherwise valueless to the status of desirable or contemplative object, it contributes to a broader cultural conversation around excessive consumption, waste and equity of access to resources.

Exhibition opening

Featuring opening remarks from Manningham Mayor Cr. Andrew Conlon, as well as Anni Hagberg in conversation with Manningham Art Gallery curator, Davey Warnock, and concurrent exhibitor Rhys Cousins.

When: Saturday 28 August 2.00pm to 3.30pm.
Cost: This is a free event but places are limited.

Ceramics Masterclass: Making Art From Waste

Join ceramic artist Anni Hagberg to discover a whole new world of ceramics. This two-session workshop for adults will encourage the participants to play and experiment with techniques of combining clay with discarded materials and 'waste' to create unique ceramic art.

Workshop Dates:

Saturday 11 September, 2.00pm to 4.00pm

Saturday 18 September, 2.00pm to 4.00pm

Price: $40 full / $32 concession. 

All visitors to Manningham Art Gallery will be required to register their attendance via QR Code upon arrival and comply with current COVID-19 guidelines, including social distancing and the wearing of face masks when social distancing cannot be practiced.

For more information, contact Arts Manningham on 03 9840 9382 or via gallery@manningham.vic.gov.au

Images: Anni Hagberg, Flux XI (detail), 2021, porcelain, raku, steel, glass, stain, fibreglass, glaze, 21 x 23 x 25cm and Reciprocity, 2021, Raku, glass, steel wool, glaze. Photos by Janelle Low.

More Information

Manningham Art Gallery

Located at the entrance to MC Square, Manningham Art Gallery presents a diverse range of contemporary art exhibitions and related public programs throughout the year. See all upcoming exhibitions.

JamFactory ICON Angela Valamanesh: About being here is Angela Valamanesh’s exploration into the interconnectedness of life on earth – between human, animal, and plant beings. This life view, first felt intuitively by the artist; is reinforced through her ongoing research at leading libraries and scientific institutions both in Australia and abroad. 

“I believe that art like science can help teach us about who we are, what we are made of and in doing so show us the importance of recognising that we are part of a whole.” Angela Valamanesh

Inspired by the symbiosis between science and poetry, Angela Valamanesh’s artworks elicit intrigue and a strong sense of personal investigation as she manipulates seemingly familiar anatomical, botanical, and parasitic forms in beguiling and unusual ways.

Primarily known for her biomorphic ceramic sculptures, this exhibition also celebrates the artist’s evocative drawings, watercolours, and mixed media works from her developing style of the late 1990s until present.

Historically, links have been made between the human form and plant species, not only structurally but also through language: the family tree, our roots, or a severed limb, while early medicine made connections between plants that resembled parts of our bodies and their therapeutic effects on those body parts.

About the exhibition

JamFactory’s Icon series celebrates the achievements of South Australia’s most influential artists working in craft-based media.

JamFactory ICON Angela Valamanesh: About being here will tour to 14 venues nationally and is accompanied by a 40-page catalogue featuring images by Michael Kluvanek with essays by Dr. Mike Lee and Wendy Walker.

Other public programs

Artist Talk with Angela Valamanesh

Saturday 3 September, 2.00pm to 3.00pm.

Free event.

Find out more and register online. 

Ceramics Workshop with Holly Phillipson

Available sessions:

• Friday 2 September, 10.30am to 1.30pm
• Saturday 3 September, 3.00pm to 6.00pm

Tickets: $40 general admission, $30 concession.

Find out more and book online.

About the artist

Angela Valamanesh was born in Port Pirie, South Australia in 1953 and currently lives and works in Adelaide. Angela holds a Diploma in Design in Ceramics from the South Australian School of Art (1977), a Master of Visual Arts from the University of South Australia (1993), and a PhD from the University of South Australia (2012).

Her drawings, ceramic objects, and watercolours are the result of an incredible depth of research, referencing complex scientific, historic, and philosophical ideas. Angela’s imagery stems from micro- and macro- biology, historical anatomical and botanical illustrations, natural history collections, and rare books.

Valamanesh’s oeuvre is populated with the animal, vegetable, and mineral with glimpses of microbes, bacteria, pathogens, and spores. Valamanesh’s works elicit ambiguity and present a strong sense of personal investigation. In the artist’s own words:

“It is important that the work is not prescriptive but offers the viewer the opportunity of personal engagement with the work and time to reflect on their own personal experiences.”

Instrumental in Valamanesh’s bourgeoning visual arts practice was her Samstag Scholarship undertaken at the Glasgow School of Art. This residency resulted in the seminal work For a long while there were only plants, 1997, and is the point of departure for this exhibition. This artwork – a watercolour, pen and ink work on paper and dipped in wax – is a repository for images and ideas that have fuelled Valamanesh’s practice ever since.

Presenting partner
JamFactory

JamFactory ICON Angela Valamanesh: About being here is a JamFactory touring exhibition.

Government partners
Australia Council for the Arts
The Visual Arts and Craft Strategy
Department for Innovation and Skills

JamFactory ICON Angela Valamanesh: About being here has been assisted by the South Australian Government through the Department for Innovation and Skills and the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, Contemporary Touring Initiative.

Angela Valamanesh acknowledges the assistance of the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts.

Angela Valamanesh is represented by GAG PROJECTS, Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide and Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert, Sydney.

Photo credit: Michal Kluvanek.