Central Goldfields Art Gallery has made it to the world-stage – having been featured in the exhibition 'Unsettlingly Queenstown" at the 18th Architecture Biennale in Venice, Italy.
The design for the revitalised Gallery which is located in the original 1861 Maryborough Fire Station on Dja Dja Wurrung Country was submitted into the 2023 Venice Biennale by project architects Nervegna Reed Architecture.
It was accepted as part of the "Unsettling Queenstown" exhibition in the Australian Pavilion at the Biennale.
Each architect was asked to prepare drawings of their project (in this case Central Goldfields Art Gallery) which described the design tactics used to Indigenise the built environment through the project.
Toby Reed of Nervegna Reed Architecture said it was a huge honour to not only have the work featured internationally but to give international recognition to Central Goldfields Art Gallery – a project he said they have been proud to work on.
"As part of the submission we created three drawings - which included photos of the Gallery - that explained our design methodology for the redevelopment of the Central Goldfields Art Gallery.
"It detailed how we aimed to include multiple narratives, histories and points of view within the spaces, particularly allowing Djaara perspectives and history to connect via the cutting of spatial channels through the gallery and into the garden.
"For each drawing we wrote a description (below) which was on the wall with the picture and visitors could also take a copy to study at home. The wall display also included QR codes for visitors to look at more photos of the Gallery.
"Curators also produced a postcard of one of our drawings for visitors to take home showing a 'worms-eye' view of the Gallery, looking through the floor to the spaces above. The worms-eye view shows a new way of looking at the world as well as relating to the Venetian history of ceiling paintings by Tintoretto and Tiepolo."
Central Goldfields Shire Mayor Cr Grace La Vella said Council was thrilled to see the Gallery redevelopment make it to Italy for people across the world to see.
"There's no denying we are incredibly proud of our redeveloped Central Goldfields Art Gallery and to see it make it to such an esteemed international event such as the 2023 Venice Biennale is incredibly exciting and due recognition of the wonderful work Nervegna Reed did to design our new-look Gallery. The Gallery revitalisation and the connection with Dja Dja Wurrung culture will be further emphasised with an Indigenous Interpretive Garden to be opened adjacent to the Gallery in 2024
"Thank you to Toby and Anna and the Nervegna Reed team for all their efforts – not just during the development stage but for their efforts to promote our Gallery internationally."
