Balancing group works with individual development at Erub Arts

Teamwork and sharing are at the very heart of production at Erub Arts, as the Centre continues to successfully balance the opportunity of large-scale group works with individual development. While all Erub artists are involved in large collaborations and exhibitions, the Centre works hard to ensure artists also have enough time to develop their own individual strengths and works in various mediums.

A recent exhibition titled Side Effect at Onespace Brisbane, was a group exhibition that featured Ellarose Savage and Jimmy K Thaiday’s ceramic work. Ellarose’s work centred around stories from her childhood, while Jimmy recreated traditional stories in fine carved lines.

Also at Onespace, Jimmy John Thaiday and Jimmy K Thaiday both featured ghost net sharks for Shiver, a group exhibition exploring the shark as an iconic Australian marine animal.

Jimmy K Thaiday’s work was selected by Max Delany, Director of Australian Centre for Contemporary art, alongside 34 Far North Queensland artists for the ARTNOW FNQ show at Cairns Art Gallery. Jimmy created a small body of beautifully carved, deconstructed club heads (Gabba Gab) from clay.

Keeping with their philosophy of spreading the ocean conservation message, Erub artists have teamed up with collaborators Marion Gaemers and Lynnette Griffiths in Below the Tide Line, working with the GOMA team to produce an exquisite installation in the children’s space as part of the WATER exhibition. While these installations appeared in international shows in 2015, Monaco in 2016, Sydney Biennale, Geneva and Singapore 2017, this is the first time they have been featured at a premier State institution.

Erub artist Florence Gutchen commented, “We are helping to spread the word about the damage these drift nets do, all people and nations need to work together across the world”. The exhibition calls for participants to join workshops and collaborate with artists on an underwater coral bommie, reinforcing the message that the ocean belongs to all of us and we need to look after it.

By Lynnette Griffiths, Erub Arts Development and Exhibitions Manager