By Callum Ludwig
The Yarra Valley Arts Yering Station Sculpture Exhibition opens to the public from Sunday 27 February, showcasing a magnificent display of artwork from Yarra Valley artists and beyond.
It’s the 20th anniversary of the exhibition, and 59 sculptures from all over Australia have been transported to the winery, situated both indoors and outdoors at Yering Station on display until April.
Exhibition Coordinator and Curator at Yering Station Dr Ewen Jarvis said he is invigorated by the exhibition and finds it personally rewarding to interact with the artists and their pieces.
“For me, it’s always creatively and imaginatively enriching to see and engage with different works on a deeper level as the curator,” he said.
“I really have to understand where the artist is coming from to be able to put a show together taking those artistic motivations into consideration.”
There are 12 Yarra Valley-based artists whose work is incorporated in the exhibit and are up for awards, as well as artists from all over Australia. Some artists involved have relocated to Australia from countries such as Japan and Lithuania, giving the exhibition a greater cultural range.
Dr Jarvis said hosting such a wide-reaching exhibition gives Yarra Valley artists and attendees an opportunity to branch out and experience art from around the country and world despite the travel restrictions they’ve faced over the past two years.
“They can travel the world from their own region. We’ve got an amazing survey of sculptures right up and down the east coast of Australia, from Tasmania, including artists from lots of different backgrounds,” he said.
“The exhibition brings a lot of talent outside the region to the region. It is enriching for Yarra Valley artists.”
In total, there are 59 submissions displayed at Yering Station, competing for seven awards, ranging from the top prize of $12,000 to the Winery’s Choice award.
Dr Jarvis said the prizes give successful artists more opportunities to further their careers and diversify their work.
“The winner of the sculpture award 2018 used the prize money to travel on an artistic residency to Iceland. We really encourage and like to see artists using the prize money to extend their practices,” he said.
The establishment of the exhibition came from one such artist acting on a spark of inspiration, a former curator at Yering Station Savaad Felich.
Mr Felich was in a Yarra Valley arts meeting just over 20 years ago, and the question was posed; does anyone have any ideas for doing something in the Valley?
Dr Jarvis said Mr Felich meekly put up his hand and motioned his idea – a sculpture exhibition, held at one of the area’s most famous wineries.
“The rest of the members at the meeting liked the idea. They took a trip to Yering Station which was their first choice,” Dr Jarvis said.
“They sparked up a conversation with Gordon Gebbie who was the general manager at the time and that was how the whole exhibition started.”
All artworks are for sale, and the commission on sculpture sales is divided between My Room Children’s Cancer Charity and Yarra Valley Arts.
