A history lecturer at UOW, Dr Mitchell is giving a talk at the opening of a new exhibition at the Wollongong Art Gallery.

Called Steel Town Port Kembla, the exhibition is made up of 85 works from the gallery’s collection and includes items by photographers Max Dupain and David Moore, Colin Lanceley, George Gittoes and Wollongong’s Redback Graphix.

Some of the works have never been on public display in the gallery before.

Dr Mitchell said the collection sent an important message to the Illawarra.

“I think its important for the general community to understand this steel beast out there has attracted the artist’s eye,” Dr Mitchell said.

“Artists used to come to the Illawarra to paint the environment. When the steelworks came here artists were attracted because it was a large industrial undertaking which was located in a physically beautiful environment.

“I think for people who saw the steelworks as an ugly environmental despoiler they will understand that artists began to see in that ugliness a kind of beauty which becomes artistically attractive.”

Dr Mitchell will be giving a talk on the history of the Port Kembla steelworks at this weekend’s exhibition opening.

Tied in with the exhibition is a walking tour of Wentworth Street, on April 16, which will talk about the people, history and architecture of the street.

Dr Mitchell said it was good to see the Wollongong City Art Gallery displaying artworks linked to the steelworks.

“I think this is pretty important because I think art galleries, particularly regional galleries, should be relevant to the region in which they’re located,” he said.

“One of the biggest things of visual and economic relevance in this city for almost 100 years has been the steelworks.

“I think they almost have a moral imperative to do that.” 

Steel Town Port Kembla opens on March 13 at 1pm. Dr Glenn Mitchell’s talk is at 2pm.