‘Craftsouth...ought to be applauded for stepping back from the maddening crowd and looking at people and what [they] have to offer. Give the movies a miss and take in some deep and meaningful contemplation—it will do you, and us, some good.’

—Teri Kelly, The Independent Weekly, 8 November 2006

Produced by Craftsouth and presented in partnership with the Adelaide Festival Centre, in other words... is a unique exchange project linking South Australian contemporary craft, design and visual art with traditional craft practices existing in our culturally diverse communities.

Through this project eleven artists have been partnered with fourteen individuals who practice crafts specific to their ethnic heritage to share their craft traditions and skills, enabling contemporary artists to encounter ideas, processes and traditions they might not ordinarily encounter in their professional practice. These partnerships have led to the creation of new works which will be presented alongside the work of the community members in an exhibition at ArtSpace, Adelaide Festival Centre.

The partnerships featured in in other words...

Gus Clutterbuck (ceramics) with
Pramod Kumar (traditional Rajasthani pottery and painting)

Kirsty Darlaston (textiles and writing) with
Anahid Paichuk (Iranian and Armenian illustration and text)

Sandy Elverd (textiles) with
Auntie Veronica Brodie (Ngarrindjeri-Kaurna weaving)

Elizabeth Fotiadis (jewellery and metal) with
Nebile Bac (Turkish neddlework and embroidery)

Agnieszka Golda (textiles and visual art) with
Maria Zawada (regional Polish crochet)

Rosie Hannam (textiles and visual art) with
Humna Mustafa (henna design)

Deb Jones (glass) with
Fumio Ueda (Japanese garden design and maintenance)

Meghann Jones (jewellery and metal) with
Dimitri Dalagiorgos (Greek and Middle Eatern musical instruments and music)

Tom Moore (glass) with
Ivan Rehorek (pupperty, puppets and poetry) and
Karel Rehorek (performance and puppetry - retired)

Lee Salomone (visual art) with
Heuifanga Carlson and Rachel Bloomfield (Tongan weaving)

Silvia Stansfield (ceramics) with
Klio Moustrithis and Triatha Bouzalas (Cypriot embroidery and lace).

in other words... is not only an exhibition but an ongoing influence, informing new directions in arts practice and a deeper understanding bewteen participants. Unexpected relationships between materials and techniques have been created, such as forged metalwork and Turkish needlework or jewellery with Middle Eastern instrument making. based on interpersonal connection and dialogue, in other words... entertains the possibility of transcending predictable methods or art making, coming full circle to revisit and reinvigorate the contemporary through tradition.

The exhibition is supported by a catalogue featuring an essay by Dr Christine Nicholls, Lecturer in Australian Studies at Flinders University and independent writer and curator. Christine notes in her essay, "The exhibition itself can be understood as a kind of palimpsest, under which substratum layers of riches await further - gentle - exploration. Audacious, innovative, but above all risk-taking, in other words... boldly goes where few have dared to venture before."

Acknowledgements:
Craftsouth would like to thank the participating artists and community members for their enthusiasm and generous support for this project.

in other words... has been assisted by special funding received from the Premier Mike Rann in 2005 to support the development of initiatives which bring together and develop the skills of artists and communitites. This project would not have been possible without the additional income provided to Cratsouth through the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy (VACS), an initiative of the Australian and State and territory Governments.

Image Captions (Top Row, L-R): Auntie Veronica Brodie uses traditional basket weaving technique with native rush, August 2006. Photograph: Sandy Elverd. Tom Moore, Bird Marionette (Centre stage) (detail), 2006. Photograph: the artist. Dimitri Dalagiorgos assembling a Greek bouzouki pick-guard, August 2006. Photograph: Alison Main.

Image Captions (Bottom Row, L-R): Pramod Kumar, Rajasthani Folk Heroes (detail), 2006. Photograph: Alison Main. Nebile Bac, Embroidery with sarma stitching (detail), circa 1950's. Photograph: Steve Wilson. Agnieszka Golda, World 1; North Gate 3, Clockwise (installation detail), 2006. Photograph: Alison Main.

MEMBER PROFILES

PROJECTS

• - Inside SAM's Place 2010
  
• - Wish List 2009
  
• - Revealing Meaning in Cloth
  
• - Trades
  
• - Wishlist 2008
  
• - International Public Art Forum & Exhibition
  
• - refigured / refined
  
• - Inside Out: 13th National JMGA Conference
  
• - In other words...
  
• - Project Archive
  

READING ROOM