TELL US ABOUT BIKE PARK GALLERY AND ITS ARTISTIC VISION
Our little creative space in Port Kembla is there to tell stories from local perspectives in unusual or unconventional ways. Our inspiration varies from concepts we find intriguing to working with local biologists and ecologist to present the first images of a new species of crayfish. It varies greatly as Alex and I want to showcase interesting and engaging art with purposes from educational to aesthetic, which is a way for the gallery to generate interest from an array of different people in the creation of a wide and diverse audience.
WHAT BEGAN YOUR JOURNEY TOGETHER AS CO-OWNERS OF A CONTEMPORARY GALLERY?
The idea of not being involved in the creative world for the rest of my life scares me, and the best way to make sure you do the thing you want to do, especially when it is something like art where you can’t just go out and find jobs, is to make it happen yourself and create your own jobs. Even if it is really challenging to begin with, you’ve got to do it. One day I woke up and the price had dropped on the rent for the space we had our eye on, so we just took the opportunity while we could.
Port Kembla is getting a good reputation as an arts and culture hub on the South Coast. It is pulling away from being known as an industrial town with confining stereotypes and the art culture has a lot to do with that. New creative spaces and initiatives are important for the emerging creative scene in Port Kembla, and we are both excited to become a part of that community after such a positive start. We have had a great turn out on our opening nights for both exhibitions. It’s nice to see everyone coming down to Port Kembla to support us and it’s great to be a part of the emerging arts culture we are creating.