Regional Futures: An Entangled Existence group profile
Regional Futures: An Entangled Existence explores the future of regional Australia through an intersectional feminist lens that draws inspiration from the landscapes and the socio-ecological fabric of our regions. The works in this exhibition have been created by female artists of different experiences and backgrounds, from across regional NSW, each creatively investigating the complex issues impacting our collective future from the perspective of those playing a critical role in shaping environmental, cultural, social and economic health.
In bringing these selected works together, there’s recognition of how different aspects of our social and political identity often influence the way we think about and experience the world, potentially resulting in discrimination and privilege.
Over 18 months in 2022-23, each artist explored issues at the heart of life in regional Australia, bringing their experiences of being women who love, live and work in regional communities to the task. Originally developed as part of the NSW Regional Arts Network’s Regional Futures project funded by Create NSW, this new iteration of selected Regional Futures works aims to continue the conversation and inspire hopeful actions.
Laura Baker
Blayney, Wiradjuri country
Laura Baker, an Australian visual artist, specializes in paper cutting. Born in the Central West region of NSW, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the College of Fine Arts (now UNSW Art & Design).
After working in Sydney and Melbourne, she returned to her hometown of Blayney. Baker’s art begins with unmarked paper, using surgical cuts to reveal the Australian landscape and regional existence through negative space. Her process creates tension between the blade’s pull and the delicate remnants left behind. The final pieces emphasize not just the imagery but also the emptiness and subtle shadows cast by the cut paper.
Anna Glynn
Jaspers Brush, lands of the Wodi Wodi people of the Dharawal nation
Anna Glynn is an award-winning artist who creates work investigating the connection between humans, history, nature, land, place, physical and the ephemeral. Her practice includes painting, drawing, video, sculpture, installation, photography, writing, music and sound. Nature, history, ecology and environment are essential elements of her practice, leading to intriguing international interdisciplinary collaborative art and science projects. Anna’s work has been acquired by Australian Parliament House and the National Museum of Australia.
Kim V Goldsmith
Dubbo, Wiradjuri country
Kim V Goldsmith is an interdisciplinary artist and audio-visual creative producer and writer working across regional Australia and internationally. Over more than two decades, her creative practice has encompassed community engagement, sound, video, installation, storytelling, writing and public programming, taking a creative, process-driven approach to the challenging ecological issues faced by rural, regional and remote communities.
Over the past eight years, Kim has been collaborating internationally on environmental projects, bringing regional Australia into global conversations.
Tania Hartigan
Wallabadah, Gamilaraay country
Tania Hartigan, a member of the Gamilaraay people, is deeply connected to her land and heritage. She owns ‘The Artshack’ in Wallabadah, a place rich in historical significance. Growing up in Woolbrook, Hartigan’s family ties span Barraba, Quirindi, and Gunnedah in New England north west. Her work in pastels captures family portraits and reflects her earthy, connected nature. ‘The Artshack’ is her cherished retreat where she feels both lucky and fated to be. Surrounded by gum trees and native plants, she discovered sacred sites on her property, indicating the Gomeroi people's long history there. Hartigan values art for teaching her to notice the small, often overlooked details of life.
Tracy Luff
Goulburn, Meeting place of Gundungurra, Mulwaree, Tarlo, Burra Burra, Wollondilly, Wiradjuri, Dharrook, Tharawal, Lachlan, Pajong, Parramarragoo, Cookmal and Ngunnawal peoples
Tracy Luff is known for her artworks, which explore her sense of place, displacement and adaptation. Her work encompasses site-specific installations, public art, community workshops and commercial exhibitions. A career highlight was Luff’s completion of three major commission works for “The Great Southern Line ANZAC Stories”, a project by Southern Tablelands Arts involving much community consultation and collaboration with historical researcher, Dr Mary Hutchinson. The works are installed at three regional railway stations and commemorate the WW1 service of NSW Railways workers.
Jane Richens
Dungog, Gringai country
Jane Richens is a multidisciplinary visual artist and biodiversity farmer. Richens has been working since the 1980s in diverse arts practices using sculpture, photography, printmaking, video and performance focusing on individuals and their environments – both social and natural – humans and plant life.
Other areas of engagement have been in artist run spaces and arts organisations, communications, design, education, organising events and being an active member in community groups and sustainability activities. Her recent activity includes creating community events that merge science and art and performative interactions with the ecosystems she lives in.
Joanne Stead
Tamworth, Gamilaraay country
A diverse artist, Joanne works across mediums including acrylics, papier mâché, linocut, and found object assemblages, with works depicting a range of subjects from her own experience and imagination.
Her most recent collections reflect her concerns about climate change and have focused on issues of sustainability, local threatened species, habitat loss and landscape regeneration in an effort to spark local interest in the issues. A founding member of the Tamworth Regional Art Collective, Joanne has experience developing a range of public art projects, including murals and large mosaic installations.