ARTICULATE: May 2019

18.5.19

Dermis opened last night

Open 11am-5pm Fri - Sun till Sunday 2 June

Closing 3-5pm Sunday 2 June
Artists' talks 2-3pm Sunday 2 June

Helen arrived on site three days before the opening with a large pile of dressmaking patterns (obtained via ‘WANTED’ postings on Freecycle), several big balls of string and rolls of waxed baking paper, lots of eyehooks and a large tub of wood glue – along with plenty of tools – and set to work. The next day she brought her beloved sewing machine, a camera and tripod and some AV equipment, and with a great deal of help from family and friends, worked on.

During the three-week run she will continue to transform the space. She will utilise points of attachment that remain from past exhibitions, and also the interior architecture of this former auto workshop, to explore the palimpsest of marks and incidental ‘memorabilia’ that people – both singly and collectively – leave behind. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the different stages of the installation by coming to both the opening and the closing events, and are welcome to assist the artist if they’d like to.

Image: Margaret Roberts

Image: Helen Sturgess

This project is supported by funding from the Inner West Council

13.5.19

Dermis opens Friday 17 May 6-8pm

Helen M Sturgess

Open Fri-Sun 11am - 5pm 18 May - 2 June

Artists' talks: 2pm Sunday 2 June

Closing event: 3-5pm Sunday 2 June

ROOMSHEET

Helen explores her interest in the palimpsest of marks that people leave behind them, by working with existing points of attachment remaining from previous exhibitions in the Articulate building. She also plans to explore the cocoon nature of shelter found in both clothing and the built environment. Visitors will have the opportunity to celebrate the different stages of the work by coming to both the opening and the closing events, when the results of Helen’s plan to continue to work in the space during the three weeks of the exhibition will be evident.

Dermis is part of the 'Performing Audiences' program supported by funding from the Inner West Council, a program that explores how audiences can be gently choreographed into performing for each other by their simple interactions with artworks. It is also one of several whole-space installations that aim to strengthen relationships with the location through being the only work in a single architectural space.