Northern Rivers Community Gallery (NRCG) Ballina features four new exhibitions from local artists showcasing diverse approaches to the 2D surface, including painting, printmaking, photography, and drawing. The exhibiting artists enliven the 2D substrate through abstraction; renewing and appropriating old work; and political, social and ecological commentary.
Common Nonsense | SCU Graduate Award 2021 | Max Taylor
Common Nonsense aims to explore political, ecological, and societal turmoil in the age of late neoliberalism. Max paints on recycled and upcycled substrates to present humorous and sometimes absurd interpretations of contemporary issues. Being heavily impacted by recent catastrophic flooding in his home and studio in South Lismore, Max’s artistic and critical focus on ecology and current global socioeconomic paradigms has only been galvanised. References to gentrification, climate change, electoral politics, workplace practice, wealth inequality, and global free market hegemony are commonplace in Max’s work. Needing to adapt following the loss of much of his body of work, Common Nonsense sees Max employ digital ‘recoveries’ of destroyed works, cleaned and repainted flood refuse substrates, water submersion, and both acrylic & oil paint to navigate his practice.
Noumenal Imaginary – Landscapes of the inner world | Michael Chapus
In this series of abstract paintings, Michael Chapus asks the question: How could inner workings of the body be expressed visually? This question arose during a visit to the hospital, while observing the electro cardiogram displaying the vital signs in slow moving waves. Those fleeting images, being electronic impulses without representable form, non-phenomenal or noumenal, can only be grasped with the faculties of the mind. We might say we can think of it without being able to have references to abstract ideas. The term noumenon is set in contrast with or concerning the term phenomenon, which refers to anything that can be apprehended by or is an object of the senses.
Renew | Mary Dorahy
While walking and running, Mary observes landscapes where destruction is followed by renewal. She conveys ideas of resilience, defiance and renewal by reviving unfinished artworks and infusing them with new meaning. Images and memories are reworked as she sorts through artworks accumulated over 30 years.
Grace Cruise Memorial Exhibition | BACCI
Presented by the members of the Ballina Arts & Crafts Centre Incorporated (BACCI), this exhibition is a tribute to Grace Cruice and her vision showcasing the best works created by BACCI members over the past 12 months.
All exhibitions open Wednesday, 29 June 2022 and continue until Sunday, 21 August 2022. The official exhibition launch will be held 5.30 – 7.30pm, Thursday, 7 July.
Please note – This event has a maximum capacity of 100 people. Doors will be closed when the Gallery reaches this capacity.
The Northern Rivers Community Gallery is located at 44 Cherry Street Ballina and is open Wednesday to Friday from 10am until 4pm and weekends from 9.30am until 1pm. For further information contact the Gallery on telephone 02 6681 0530 or visit
