New street art for Devonport in Hidden Gallery

Tara Felts

Six street artists from across Tasmania descend on Devonport next week to create six new small artworks for the Hidden Gallery project! New works will be installed in hidden and unsuspected locations around the Devonport CBD across the first two days of Tidal Festival. All artworks will be complete and accessible on foot from Wednesday 25 January.

Viewers are encouraged to pick up a map from one of the venues involved, or download it from devonportgallery.com to discover each work by the Hidden Gallery artists.

Artists: Brain Foetus (Hobart), KT Hollywood (Burnie), Tom O’Hern (Hobart), Paul Eggins (Launceston), Ben Miller (Launceston) and Tara Felts (Devonport).

Venues: Devonport Regional Gallery, Red Hot Music, Picture This Showroom, Public Toilets (CMAX car park), Visitor Information Centre, Total Performance Sports.

The details about the Hidden Gallery project have been kept secret by all involved, with details only being released to the public days before the works are to be installed.

“The reason for our secrecy is to enhance the secluded nature of the works’ locations, making it a treasure hunt for viewers,” said Dianne Sheehan, Education and Public Programs Officer at Devonport Regional Gallery. “Street art has had a real surge in Devonport in the past couple of years, particularly through Rooke Lane. Hidden Gallery has provided a chance for other venues to get involved across the CBD and for building owners to enliven our urban alleyways.”

The project has been organised by the Devonport Regional Gallery and Devonport City Council with venue owners and street artists. Coinciding with the Tidal Festival (23-29 January), each artist has had to respond to the theme of ‘tidal’ in their work.

SELECTED ARTIST PROFILES

ARTIST: Ben Miller
VENUE: Public toilet block, CMAX car park

Launceston artist Ben Miller is creating his work ‘Consumption’ for the public toilet block in CMAX car park. Ben is an artist, educator, Gallery Director and musician. He has been doing commissioned and un-commissioned works for over twenty years exhibiting statewide, nationally with both group and solo shows and is represented by Gallery Pejean and AntilArt. A finalist in the Glover Prize, LLoyd Rees Art Prize and Bay of Fires Art Prize et al, Miller’s work often explores an ambivalence towards environmentalism and industrialisation.

Ben speaks about his work: “Estuary fisheries in Tasmania supply the local, national and international markets for world class Atlantic Salmon. The economic benefit to the state is undeniable. Recent studies have shown that this practice is adversely affecting our waterways and ecosystems. At what local price do we pay for supplying the global demand? This consumption is affecting our tidal waters.”

Ben will be installing his work on Monday 23 January, 6 – 10 am

ARTIST: Paul Eggins
VENUE: Devonport Regional Gallery

Launceston artist Paul Eggins will be installing his work ‘Beach Tide’ at Devonport Regional Gallery on Monday 23 January from 9 am. Beach Tide is based on an abstracted re-creation of the ‘wave theory’ Paul’s father explained to him as a child.

“The tide never stops. Constantly rising and falling. Coming in and going out. Some people’s lives depend on the tide, while others may go their entire existence without acknowledging it. It will complete different stages of its progression at different times, every day. No two days are the same for the tide. It can-not be tamed or trained. It is as wild as anything can be, yet it can be predicted years in advance.” – Paul Eggins

ARTIST: Tara Felts
VENUE: Total Performance Sports

Tara Felts is an emerging visual artist and tattoo artist from Devonport. Her work, ‘Fill Me Up With Hope’ will appear in the alleyway beside Total Performance Sports accessed on Best Street.

“All the things we know we should be doing.
New Years goals and resolutions.
Empty promises to ourselves.

Happiness is only 10 steps away.
Fill me up with hope.”
– Tara Felts