Campaspe Shire Council is inviting community members to experience The Lonely Hut, a unique exhibition that brings together celebrated printmaker David Frazer's The Lonely Boy III and 13 rarely exhibited works from Council's significant George Rathbone Collection.
Running from 4 to 30 September at Kyabram Town Hall Gallery, the exhibition explores themes of place, perspective and loneliness through depictions of isolated settler dwellings scattered throughout the Murray River landscape.
The exhibition will officially open at 6pm on Friday 4 September, with community members encouraged to attend and discover the stories behind these evocative works.
Using Frazer's solitary timber hut as a point of departure, The Lonely Hut traces a visual lineage of weathered dwellings that stand quietly across regional landscapes. Some appear inhabited, others abandoned, each carrying a sense of distance and a connection to the people and places that shaped the region's history.
Campaspe Shire Mayor Cr Daniel Mackrell said the exhibition would encourage visitors to look beyond the familiar and consider the stories hidden within the landscapes that often pass unnoticed.
"Through this quiet gathering of artworks, The Lonely Hut invites us to reflect on perspective, loneliness and the stories we project onto the landscapes around us," Cr Mackrell said.
"These are scenes many of us may have driven past countless times. Yet when viewed through the eyes of artists, they become powerful reminders of our history, our communities and our relationships with the places that surround us."
Like the recent exhibition Here + There, which explored contemporary responses to works from Council's collection, The Lonely Hut is both inspired by and responds to Frazer's The Lonely Boy III. The exhibition creates a dialogue between the artist's work and paintings drawn from the George Rathbone Collection, encouraging visitors to see familiar subjects in new ways.
The George Rathbone Collection comprises 71 paintings depicting early Echuca and district in the naïve tradition. The collection provides a rare pictorial record of historical events, buildings and landscapes, offering valuable insights into the region's development and identity.
"Exhibitions such as The Lonely Hut help bring people together, spark conversation and create memorable shared experiences," Cr Mackrell said.
"They strengthen our connection to local history, our community and the places we call home."
Hosting the exhibition at Kyabram Town Hall Gallery carries special significance, with the gallery serving as the home of Council's collection and providing opportunities for the wider community to engage with these important works.
Cr Mackrell acknowledged the many people who have helped make the exhibition possible.
"We thank Anne Churches, Ellen Lee and the dedicated gallery volunteers whose ongoing commitment enables the gallery to welcome visitors and showcase exhibitions throughout the year," he said.
"Council further recognises the efforts of its Arts and Culture team for their continued work in ensuring the community can access and enjoy Council's collection."
