Merri-bek council and the Counihan Gallery present ‘Manifesto’, an exhibition of artwork that demonstrate the cause-and-effect relationship of words to action.
The exhibition features artist books, paintings, prints, video and photography from different artists, including Greek Australian George Matoulas.
Matoulas, who is based in Brunswick at the Ovens Street Studios, as one of its four co-founders, explores themes of justice, cultural heritage, geography, identity, migration and childhood innocence through an art brut style of simplicity and apparent naivety.
He is said to adopt a “strong ethical stance” in his art.
Acting Counihan gallery Curator Nicola Bryant said three of his works will be on display, The Nuclear Family, Bomb, and the Map of Australia.
The Nuclear Family was created in collaboration with a textile project in Nepal named Weave Art Change. In this work, Matoulas presents that conflict is not restricted to just one demographic.
The Map of Australia was produced in response to the troubles of asylum seekers and the government’s refusal to allow them into the country.
Manifesto showcases artwork that highlights other prominent issues in Australia and worldwide, such as the rental crisis in Melbourne and the impact of gentrification (‘Rent’ by Jordan Marani).
Also on display is a celebration of Indigenous Australians with work from well-known artist Vicki Couzens. Other work includes an artist book from Deanna Hitti titled The Country Justice, which contains more than 1000 book covers that have been banned around the world.
“How we perceive the world is shaped by the language we use to describe it. The Merri-bek Art Collection features works that use language – text, stories, words, poetry – in ways that reframe our understanding of what could, or should, constitute a ‘normal’ society,” Bryant said.
“The artists in ‘Manifesto’ exercise the transformative power of language as a catalyst for social connection, resistance, and the reclamation of narratives that run counter to the status quo.”
Manifesto runs from August 5 to October 22 at the Counihan Gallery in Brunswick, Victoria. The official launch is on 2 September from 2pm to 4pm.
