Imaginative exhibitions add to Ballarat’s artistic calendar 

Two new exhibitions are taking place in Creative City Ballarat’s community art spaces. 

The CharisArt Group is presenting its exhibition Entangled at Art Space Ballarat, 14 Lydiard Street, until 9 March. 

CharisArt includes six local artists who support and nourish each other’s art while working in different mediums. Each artist creates contemporary art works while using traditional techniques passed on from generations of women before them. 

In Entangled, the artists unravel the complexities of human connections and entangled existence into a unifying collection of works. The art works include large-scale installation pieces, sculptural works and 2D wall pieces, each exploring a connection with traditional fibre-based craft in an innovative and challenging way. 

Artists include Sylvia Aguirre, Robyn Barnett, Kate Both, Susan Cabassi, Marcia King and Deb Sonenberg. 

Entangled is open 11am to 5pm, Wednesday to Sunday. 

In Unicorn Lane, off Sturt Street, Christopher Risk’s exhibition Ouchy is on until 28 February. 

Christopher began creating Ouchy and his friends using polymer clay when the pandemic arrived. Inspired by his everyday life, the creations are whimsical and joyful. Having a childhood fascination with toys and fantasy worlds created by musicians, artists and even professional wrestling, Ouchy lives in his own, other-worldly universe.  

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Daniel Moloney said these two very different exhibitions were welcome additions to Ballarat’s summer and artistic calendars. 

“Creative City Ballarat is part of the City of Ballarat’s Creative Cities Strategy which helps in the incubation, establishment and sustainability of the local creative sector,” Cr Moloney said. 

“These two exhibitions are a brilliant example of our Creative Cities Strategy at work, helping to showcase some of the most creative and imaginative work our artists are producing. 

“I look forward to seeing both exhibitions and I would urge the community to get along and support both CharisArt and Christopher/Ouchy as well.” 

For more information on Entangled, contact Sylvia Aguirre on 0413 065 390 

For more information on Ouchy, contact Christopher Risk on 0411 142 783.