Artback NT and the Department of Tourism and Culture’s Araluen Arts Centre, presents Fecund: Fertile Worlds.

Fecund: Fertile Worlds is a diverse exhibition of contemporary artists from across the NT and Australia responding to life, death and renewal in the natural world and has been curated by the inaugural SPARK NT Curator, Katherine based Clare Armitage.

“The Araluen Arts Centre is proud to present the first Spark NT Curator, Clare Armitage, as she brings together artists from all over Australia at different stages of their careers, with works selected for Fecund: Fertile Worlds connected by the notions of fertility and the capacity to transform,” Senior Director of the Department of Tourism and Culture’s Araluen Cultural Precinct, Dr Mark Crees said.

Fecund, meaning highly fertile or abundant new growth, presents a collection of contemporary works that inspire conversation and contemplation.

Armitage explains that the exhibition “explores life, death and desire, our future on earth, and is full of fruitful sources of knowledge. The exhibition showcases the intrinsically optimistic nature of growth, evokes the natural landscape, reproductive cycles and sex, and talks about the resilience of life, the interconnectedness of living systems, and the will to exist.”

The exhibition, touring the Northern Territory, is a visceral experience that includes a range of art forms.

Large installation works such as Talitha Kennedy’s anthropomorphic black leather mangroves occupy the floor, while Nikala Bourke’s macroscopic images of plants and Djirrajirra Wunungmurra’s intricate Yukuwa yam paintings balance the irreverent and erotic works of Pony Express. Sounds from Claire Bridge’s video work permeate the space.

Fecund: Fertile Worlds will be officially by Clare Armitage with a floortalk on the exhibition on Friday 16 November at 6pm.

Fecund: Fertile Worlds is the first exhibition outcome from the SPARK NT Emerging Curator Program, initiated by Artback NT and supported by regional gallery partners: Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory and Northern Centre for Contemporary Art in Darwin; Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Cultural Centre in Katherine; Nyinkka Nyunyu Cultural Centre in Tennant Creek and Araluen Arts Centre in Alice Springs.

Media interview
Araluen Cultural Precinct, Senior Director, Dr Mark Crees, 08 8951 1126
Artback NT Visual Arts Touring Program Manager, Neridah Stockley, 08 8953 5941