Following a successful application to Next Wave, a biennial festival and artist development organisation, Dunkeld artist Trevor Flinn has embarked on a plan to transform the old Dunkeld Station into an artist run initiative (ARI) dedicated to the exhibition of contemporary art.
Following V-line’s enthusiastic response to his proposal, Trevor is currently in negotiations with them to lease the sight. In the meantime, Trevor will concentrate on transforming the bare building and its surrounds into a place for artistic experimentation and exhibition.
In keeping with Next Wave’s theme ‘closer together’, Trevor has chosen to collaborate with Melbourne based artist Cecilia Fogelberg on the first exhibition, which will be launched during the town’s Arts Festival in November. Titled The Puma, The Stranger and The Mountain, the exhibition will showcase new works by both artists, in a variety of mediums, relating to their experience of local landscape, and legend.
Trevor sees this project as an opportunity to make a positive difference to this building, which has suffered lately, and at the same time bring people closer together through a mutual appreciation of the arts: “It is my intention to raise the profile of the building and to create an event that will ‘kick-start’ the development of the old station into a space devoted to the making and showing of contemporary art in regional Victoria.”
In addition to the exhibition, the old Station will play host to a live graffiti demonstration by Melbourne based artist Michael Porter. Through the course of the day Michael will paint a large, specially constructed wall beside the old station. The public will be able to watch the artist as he works, and the finished work will go on permanent display in the station building.
Trevor hopes his efforts will challenge the notion that contemporary art can only be experienced in urban centres, and hopes there will be opportunities to continue the project into the future.
“I realise it will be a challenge to maintain the momentum you get from an ‘opening night’, however I’m interested in the possibilities of developing the station building into an, exhibition/studio space, suitable to host an artist in residence. I’m certain a visiting artist would gain as much from working and exhibiting in Dunkeld, as the locals would from having an interested outsider contribute to the cultural life of the town.”
The Puma The Stranger and The Mountain exhibition can be viewed at the old Dunkeld Station during the Dunkeld Arts Festival on the 3rd of November, and will be open during weekends until the 2nd of December.
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