Mandy Harwood
Biography
Born in Darwin and raised in the southwest, Mandy has been surrounded by ‘makers’ her entire life and continues to create in order to make sense of her experiences of the world. An Honours graduate from Curtin University after completing an Advanced Diploma from WASAD, Mandy's practice is characterised by her ability to move between mediums and processes, with a sensitivity and awareness that highlights the seductive tactile qualities made possible through unlikely juxtapositions of everyday materials. Honest and unpretentious, these artistic strategies grapple with the limitations of the corporeal body and contemplate the immaterial.
Artist Statement
Extending an heuristic investigation of agency and object, it's relation to body, multiplicity and plasticity, I utilise textured and tactile materials which present themselves for abstraction, fragmentation and re-presentation to become part of a new conversation on the im-material.
Gemma Ben-Ary
Biography
Gemma is an independent visual artist and curator based in Perth, Western Australia and the Executive Director of the Ellenbrook Cultural Foundation, and is a Board Member of the Mundaring Arts Centre as well as the Chairperson of the exhibition committee there. She recently obtained a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Visual Art and a minor in Writing from Edith Cowan University, after having graduated from Central TAFE with a major in Sculpture in 2009. Gemma has worked in the arts industry in Perth for the past decade in various local government roles, and also as an independent curator, writer, consultant and practicing visual artist. She lives in Darlington with her husband, who is also an artist, and two kids.
Artist Statement
My artistic practice intersects with feminist theory, ecology and contemporary craft. I’m interested in the expectations placed upon women in society, and in the denial of parts of our personalities and bodies that limit our means of self expression, and our potential for equality. I combine materials to accentuate the absurdity of the ideal woman, or engage with landscapes and natural materials to re-evaluate our true nature. I also reference and celebrate traditional women's work and love natural materials, so many of my projects are borne through the use of craft or experimenting with materials, particularly basket weaving.
