Throughout the first half of the year, the Benalla Art Gallery will receive art cases from the National Gallery as part of its Touring Exhibition Program.
The art-filled cases are designed to travel to schools, libraries, community centres, galleries and aged care homes, where the works are discovered and handled by adults and children of all ages, for both exhibition and hands-on programs such as art making and storytelling.
Beginning in 1990 with just two cases, thanks to Jim and Elaine Wolfensohn, this program has expanded and continues three decades on thanks to the generous support of the Neilson Foundation, with five cases now touring Australia.
The Benalla Art Gallery will receive four of these cases over a six-month period, with two cases visiting for three months at a time.
The first cases to make their way to Benalla are the Red (Body) and Orange (Form and Function) cases.
The red case brings together works that explore the lived experience of biology (flesh and blood), and how our bodies influence memory, and space, while the orange art case brings together works that blur the line between art and design.
Art cases will be available to schools and community centres across the north-east region for free.
For schools, this is an opportunity to support object-based learning by encouraging students to actively explore and interrogate works of art through looking, handling, responding and making, via facilitated activities.
The cases provide a rich scope for critical and creative thinking, investigating visual arts, design and technologies, humanities and social sciences, health, physical education and science (biology), and the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.
Benalla Art Gallery director Eric Nash said it was also an opportunity to foster connection and wellbeing within community spaces through experiencing and ‘feeling’ art.
“Receiving these cases from the National Gallery is an extremely fortunate opportunity for our communities,” he said.
“The gallery is excited that our relationship with the National Gallery has allowed us to bring artworks from their significant national collection to our schools and centres.
“It is important for regional galleries to foster art education and experiences, connecting our region with national institutions and conversations through art.
“It is also a great opportunity to expose students to a world of art education and careers.”
Mr Nash said the gallery’s public programs team would visit local schools and community spaces within a 30km radius to facilitate this program.
Sessions are available as incursions or can also be delivered at the new Pop-Up Benalla Art Gallery at 75 Bridge St East, giving the community the opportunity to also view the current exhibitions on display.
The red and orange suitcases will be with Benalla Art Gallery until Friday, May 1. To book a session call 5760 2619 or email gallery@benalla.vic.gov.au.
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