Maitland Regional Art Gallery turns up the heat this winter

Maitland Regional Art Gallery (MRAG) will celebrate the launch of its winter exhibition season with a special event from 5.30pm on Friday 25 July, inviting visitors to explore seven new exhibitions and connect with artists and fellow art enthusiasts.

The Winter Season Opening Event is free and open to the public, offering a unique opportunity to experience a diverse mix of contemporary art created by emerging and established artists.

MRAG Deputy Director Courtney Novak says the winter launch is a key event in the Gallery’s seasonal program and encourages the community to come along and experience everything on display.

“Our seasonal launch events are more than just exhibition openings – they’re an invitation for the community to experience MRAG as a vibrant public space for culture and connection,” Ms Novak said.

“Our winter program showcases the rich and diverse stories artists bring to the Gallery, reflecting the many perspectives that shape our region. The program includes a solo exhibition by Hunter-based artist Rebecca Rath, Found, alongside Between [the] Details, a collection of moving image artworks by some of Australia’s most celebrated video artists.”

Among the featured exhibitions is 9.5 – The Elliott Eyes Bequest, which celebrates a significant bequest by collectors Gordon Elliott and Michael Eyes. This exhibition will showcase a section of artworks, which will eventually be donated to the MRAG Collection as part of the bequest, including Rick Amor, Robert Fielding, James Gleeson, Jess Johnson, Euan Macleod, Clement Meadmore, Reko Rennie, Anne Ross, Terry Stringer and Michael Zavros.

Gordon Elliott and Michael Eyes will be special guests at the launch event, allowing visitors to meet the benefactors behind the generous bequest, which will see over 460 contemporary artworks donated to the MRAG Collection. They will also lead a guided tour of 9.5 – The Elliott Eyes Bequest on Sunday 10 August, where they’ll share the stories about the works on display and how the collection first began.

Also on display is Chinese Restaurant Playground by local artist Steffie Yee, a playful and personal tribute to childhood and cultural identitywhich combines stop-motion animation, hand-drawn sketches, restaurant memorabilia and retro ephemera. 

A free guided tour and in-conversation event with Yee, comedian Jennifer Wong and Danny Yam will be held on Saturday 26 July, exploring the work and the experiences of Chinese Australian families in regional communities.

The exhibitions opening as part of the winter season include:

• Found – Rebecca Rath
• 9.5 – The Elliott Eyes Bequest
• Watered-up by Sea – Malvika Satelkar
• Chinese Restaurant Playground – Steffie Yee 余淑婷
• Sticks and Stones: Earth and Bones – Ken Unsworth
• Between [the] Details: Video Art from the ACMI Collection
• Mother – From the MRAG Collection

All exhibitions are free to visit, with varying closing dates. For more information on the winter exhibition program and upcoming events, visit mrag.org.au.