The Picks | January 2024

Welcome to the new year!

Here’s my tips for some neat shows around Hobart in January.

The slightly less obvious show that’s really worth a look right now is Emma Bingham’s Continuum, a beautiful show that’s invested in ideas of bodies, time, membranes and light. There’s some really delicate work to be found here that excites a particular love of mine (wait for the incoming review for the reveal on that).

Continuum is at the Salamanca Arts Centre Top Gallery until 28^th of January, open weekdays 10 – 5, Weekends 10 – 3.

The Despard Summer show currently running is a great place to catch some new offering from a bunch of significant or interesting younger artists; There’s new work from Harrison Bowe, Rosanagh May, Liam Ross Baker and Jo Chew (Chew has a major solo show coming this year too!), and a bunch of other newer notables, as well as some Despard stalwarts. This will give you a solid taste of some great new work; it’s interesting to see these many of these people in one place as well because there’s a hint of a shift in the air in what’s going on locally with the painted form. Interesting.

The 37^th (!) Despard Summer show is on util 3^rd February; open Monday – Friday 10 – 5, Saturday 10 - 4.

A new show from Constance ARI is coming to the Plimsoll: Rags to More Rags investigates the personal archive of artist Reece Romagnoli-Townsend, which is essentially material from the artist’s father, who has left this mortal coil. I love archival investigation like this – it can be incredibly sensitive and poignant. It’s only on for less than two weeks so get to it; the opening event is Friday 12^th 

Rag to more Rags is at the Plimsoll Gallery, Hunter St, January 13 – 25, with an opening event 5:30 – 8pm Friday 12^th. The Plimsoll is open 11 – 3 Daily, unless it’s a public holiday.

I had a quick turn of Callum Cusick’s Texture Channels interactive instrument installation at Good Grief and this thing is a riot. Callum has put a bunch of laser triggers on the floor that set sounds off, and a random improvised composition nicely ruptures the air when you walk (or dance!) around the space. This is a terrific work that’s well executed, and probably the most fun you might have in a gallery right now.

 Texture Channels is at Good Grief until the 21^st, open Thursday and Sunday 12 -5.

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