Curatorial+Co
Image: Sophie Vander, Chaire Field & Tash Yuncken. Photo: Anne Graham
It’s so uplifting to hear of a company in the arts that hasn’t been experiencing anxiety during COVID-19. When so many traditional art galleries were closing down, others were scrambling to fast track their online presence during the lockdown. But Curatorial+Co were already operating a digital platform, and were set up as a virtual gallery with a strong following, and during the past three months they have seen a 20% growth in sales. Sophie Vander, Curatorial+Co Director has figured out a system that works strongly with industry, interior designers and architects, to get publicity by using their artworks in styling and photoshoots in magazines.
In an effort to back their online presence, Curatorial+Co are set to unveil a physical art space in Redfern where they will showcase over 40 new works by 39 Australian and international artists. A mixture of mediums including sculpture, photography, painting, mixed media, print making and ceramic works, 80% of the artwork is by female artists. Breaking the mould of the traditional white cubed box, the Curatorial+Co gallery is a warm, welcoming, unintimidating space where people can see how the artworks would look like in a home, so the art is hung around several household things, for example, a painting in front of a pink circular rug, or against a green wall. This gallery concept, albeit a good one, has room for development.
The modern artwork won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Diana Miller’s Epiphany, Acrylic on board, $4500, wasn’t to my taste, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or in the case of Barbara Kitallides’ Aperitivo Hour, Acrylic on Canvas, you are paying $9000 for three blobs of paint.
The Curatorial+Co’s new gallery headquarters are located at Studio 1, 175 Cleveland Street, Redfern. The gallery will be open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday by appointment.
By Mel Somerville
