Merri-bek Summer Show: (Be)Longing
The Merri-bek Summer Show is our much anticipated annual celebration of local artists.
This year's exhibition theme (Be)Longing is centred around the idea to long for something which evokes a feeling of desire, yearning or nostalgia. Artists were invited to respond, examine and consider the complexities that arise when our sense of belonging is disrupted or challenged, leading to feelings of longing. Conversely, this interpretation could also mean an exploration of how longing can shape our sense of identity and community, and our sense of what it means to belong.
Merri-bek Summer Show artists
Kareen Adam, Freya Alexander, Sarah Anthony, Pamela Bain, Joy Barrett, Lois Basham, Madeleine Beatty, Melvin Berzamina, Margaret Bishop, Wendy Black, Robyn Blaikie, Strokes in Blue, Elisabeth Bodey, Heinz Boeck, Annie Bolitho, The BOOreaucrats, Matt Bottos, Ashleigh Briggs, Bronwyn Calcutt, Matthew Carey, Carmelina Casely, Alessia Catalano, Margaret Christianson, Thomas C. Chung, Ryley Clarke, Elizabeth Cleland, David Creed, J Davies, Elain Della Rocca, Chelle Destefano, Julian Di Martino, Sofie Dieu, Andrea Draper, Sandra Drummond, George Duckett, Robyn Elliott, Jane Farnan, Ange Foster, Lesley & Patrick Francis, Flora Georgiou, Michael Gromm, Ruth Groves, Peter Hannaford, Jack Hannigan, Ashika Harper, JC Harris, Jarmila Hava, Joshua Hede, Caitlin Hespe, Jon Hewitt, Setareh Hosseini, Guy Hughes, Amaya Iturri, Tegan Iversen, Charlotte Ivey, Victoria Jacgung, Stephanie Karavasilis, Manon Kendall, Nina Killham, Pamela Kleemann-Passi and Jill Johanson, Madelin Latomanski, Penelope Le Petit, Linda Loh, Yoshihito Machida, Lucy Maddox, Priscilla Manthey, Sheena Mathieson, David McCall, Janine Mcginness, Aylsa McHugh, Anthony McInneny, Lorraine Meinke, Lucas Mihailidis, Robert Mihajlovski and Rados Stevanovic, Angelina Mirabito, Nazanin Moghaddam, Siobhán Motherway, Barbara Murphy, Betty Musgrove, Kamilla Musland, Angela Ndalianis, Rachel O'Connor, Valentina Palonen, Nalika Peiris, Maria Petrova, Deepika Rao, Steven Rendall, Jo Rock, Ash Russell, Claire Sadler-Jones, Lily Santamaria, Andrea Schinca, Samantha Sederof, Elif Sezen, Josh Simpson, Stephanie Siu, Natalie Smith, Lewis Spiteri, Noah Spivak, Karen Standke, Ange Stock, Linda Studena, Frances Tapueluelu, Jean Taylor, Lahni Thavarajah, Sandra Tobias, Nicola Vance, Diana Videka, Miguel Villanueva, Florence Wang, Ashton Wastney, Anna White, Chris Winer, Mark Wingrave, Jude Worters, Qinling (Coni) Zhang.
Download an artwork catalogue for the Merri-bek Summer Show:
Please note that some of the images in the online and gallery catalogue are indicative images only.
Merri-bek Summer Show awards
The Counihan Gallery is pleased to present the 8th Noel Counihan Commemorative Art Award. The Award celebrates an artist whose work explores the exhibition theme and engages with social, political, or environmental ideas. All exhibitors in the Merri-bek Summer Show are eligible for the Award. The Award recipient will receive $3000 towards their professional development. This prize is generously sponsored by Merri-bek City Council.
Congratulations to Setareh Hosseini, who is the recipient of this year's Noel Counihan Commemorative Art Award.
The judges noted that Setareh’s work spoke to this year’s theme of Be(Longing) poetically and delicately through ideas of displacement and memory embedded in objects. In the context of the summer show the work stood out against the others with its technical engagement with the medium of photography and the staging within the image. The judges are thrilled to see this award support the further development of this artist’s practice.
The ‘Climate for Change Award’, celebrates an artist who champions environmental justice and activates for a greener future. The ‘Climate for Change Award’ recipient receives a $500 CERES voucher.
Congratulations to Stephanie Karavasilis, who is the recipient of the Climate for Change Award.
In judging this award, the judges noted that Stephanie's work explores concepts of belonging and displacement beautifully. It also links to climate change, in particular in its considerations of climate refugees.
Voting is now open for the People's Choice Award. Vote for your favourite artist using the People's Choice Award voting form on the SnapForms website. The artist with the most votes will receive a cash prize of $1000, generously sponsored by the Sydney Road Brunswick Association.
Accessibility information
This exhibition features video and sound content. Due to the varied sensory experience on display, this exhibition may be a difficult environment for visitors with sensory sensitivities.
Contact
Counihan Gallery
Phone: 03 9389 8622
Email: CounihanGallery@merri-bek.vic.gov.au
Further information
For exhibition updates you can follow the Counihan Gallery Instagram page. You can also go to the Counihan Gallery Facebook page.
Zero Carbon Merri-bek is a community and council movement to achieve a safe climate for all of Merri-bek. To find out more, visit the Zero Carbon Merri-bek website.