For their first program of exhibitions for 2025, the City of Melville’s cultural precinct Goolugatup Heathcote is presenting three exhibitions
Fall Damage,
Relic and an RTRFM Art Fundraiser all opening on Saturday, 9 February from 5.00pm, and running until Sunday, 23 March.
Fall Damage is a new work by the 2024 Digital Art Program commissioned artists Tiyan Baker and Jason Phu which draws on existing themes in the artist’s work in a series of video, sculptural and interactive works.
Baker and Phu, through hundreds of hours of playing the massively popular video game
Fortnite, have come together to explore the possibilities of this commission via in-game microphone.
The artists have made works by using the freely available video game assets, leveraging the personal agency that comes with building your own Fortnite worlds.
The Goolugatup Heathcote Digital Art Program promotes contemporary visual art that engages with digital technology.
It awards a $20,000 commission to a successful application and includes a mentorship opportunity for emerging local digital artists to work with the chosen artists.
City of Melville Senior Curator and Creative Lead Jana Braddock said she could recall the success of the Digital Art Program and looked forward to opening the call for applications later in the year.
“As Western Australia’s only digital art commission, The Digital Art Program offers an indispensable opportunity to artists nationwide,” said Braddock.
The second exhibition coming up at Goolugatup Heathcote is
Relic, curated by Rare Silk, which invites a group of 18 artists to craft unique relics that reflect their personal experiences of grief and transcendence.
The full lineup of artists includes Andrew Sunley Smith, Andrew Beck, Alice Humphries, Danielle Caruana, Duncan Wright, Eli Smith, Heritier Kasanda, Ilona McGuire, Jessee Lee Johns, Kate Hulett, Ken Meyer, Manveen Kaur Kohli, Max Barton, Sam Bloor, Sarita Slater, Tim Meakins and Tom Mùller.
This exhibition is the first in Goolugatup Heathcote’s new Project Space, marking a new development for the gallery.
This includes a licensed Art Bar where visitors to the opening night event can enjoy a range of food and drink options.
Goolugatup Sounds – the cultural precinct’s experimental music and performance program curated by Lyndon Blue – presents its 23
rd edition in partnership with RTRFM.
From 5.00pm at the free opening event, live music will be on offer including French improvisational outfit Hubbub, and DJs Yikes + Nafta, plus more acts to be announced.
In partnership with RTRFM, a fundraising exhibition will be held in the Goolugatup Heathcote gallery, featuring over 20 local artists auctioning their work to raise funds for the community radio station.
This event offers a wonderful chance for visitors to bid on unique local artworks while supporting community radio.
“We are so excited to be working with Goolugatup Heathcote on this community-led project and can't wait to showcase these incredible artworks donated by some of Boorloo's best artists to help raise funds for an important Western Australian cultural institution, RTRFM, said RTRFM Development and Audience Engagement Manager Tash Thomas.
All are welcome to attend the official opening of
Fall Damage,
Relic and the RTRFM Art Fundraiser from Saturday, 8 February from 5.00pm, alongside Goolugatup Sounds 23.
This exhibition period at Goolugatup Heathcote runs from Sunday, 9 February through to Sunday, 23 March.
The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00am to 4.00pm, closed public holidays.
For more information, visit
www.goolugatup.com/exhibitions