Darlo’s darlings look back on colourful history

The TAP Gallery in Kings Cross will play host to some of Darlinghurst’s most interesting personalities during its “Colourful Characters” event.

The event is part of the gallery’s 12-day-long Oxford Art Festival showcasing the work of established and upcoming artists and running from October 19 until October 30.

Starting at 3pm with a high tea on October 24 ‘Colourful Characters’ will feature performances, talks, exhibitions and life stories from as many as ten residents of the Darlinghurst 2010 postcode.

TAP Gallery founder Leslie Dimmick will step out from behind the desk to be one of the event’s ‘characters’ speaking about the trials and tribulations of starting the gallery and the personalities surrounding it.

“It’s a very strong community and there are a lot of wonderful characters who’ve lived in the area a long time,” she said.

“One of the speakers will be me because I’ve lived in the area; I can’t believe it, nearly forty years now.”

Ms Dimmick said she came to Sydney and was attracted to the Kings Cross area because of its thriving art scene. But she was struck by a lack of spaces for emerging artists to display their work.

“They were churning out art students with almost nowhere for them to exhibit,” she said.

“[TAP Gallery] has only existed through a need and demand. We don’t represent artists; we just support new artists needing to display their work.”

Ms Dimmick said her story would be just a small part of an evening delving into the people and history of the area.

“I’ve got young and old, there are some really funny characters who will display the history of the area, which is something I love,” she said.

“Elizabeth Burton a veteran stripper will be here but then you [also] have an hotelier from Woolloomooloo who’s going to talk about history and her memories.”

Writer, artist and videographer Wednesday Kennedy will also be part of the exhibition and spoke about being a colourful character and the art community in Darlinghurst.

“I just thought that was another name for being unemployable,” she said.

“I’m a writer, performer who’s been in the industry for 25 years. Anyone who’s survived that long qualifies as being something I suppose, maybe nuts.

“What is really important about this event and one’s like it is the community it supports.

“The community gives us the motivation and the energy to keep creating and keep putting our work out there. “

The TAP Gallery is located at 278 Palmer Street Darlinghurst.

For more information about events at the Tap Gallery go to http://www.tapgallery.org.au/