This week the Beachside Emporium will come alive with colourful works inspired by Frida Kahlo.
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The art exhibition ‘Frida Comes To Kiama’ will feature works from 45 local artists from July 27 – August 2.
“About a month ago I said to my husband one night ‘I’m going to have a Frida Kahlo exhibition’,” Beachside Emporium owner Kathryn O'Brien said.
“I messaged a couple of artists and within about 10 minutes I was getting responses saying they would love to be involved.
“Initially we were looking at just artworks, but now it has grown and we’ve got photographers, jewellery designer, a girl who has made some ceramics, cushions and we’ve got some fashion in it as well.”
The exhibition has taken its title from one of the works submitted by a local artist.
“There are so many talented local, established and emerging artists, we just wanted to open this up and make it a space for the artists, our whole aim is to promote artists in the Illawarra and this area and I think we’ve been very successful in doing that,” Mrs O’Brien said.
“It’s really rewarding to sell a piece of art knowing the person who has created it – we’ve had a little window into their world and it’s very exciting for us that we’re able to give them the news their piece of art has sold.”
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Curator Janelle Mattila said the pair had always loved Kahlo.
“I went to a small photographic exhibition in Melbourne and I was telling Kathryn about it, and she said she had been thinking of something similar,” Mrs Mattila said.
“Because we have so many artists, designers and creative types in Kiama, we thought we could open it up and have a great collaborative exhibition.”
The exhibition has proven to be an inclusive, creative community event that has had a flow-on effect to other local businesses.
“The new framing business in Kiama, Framed by Us, has been very busy and ran out of white frames,” Mrs Mattila said.
“The local printers, Kiprint has been kept busy printing invitations and printing artworks and cards for the artists.”
A lot of people associate regional artists as maybe a bit folksy or crafty, but we have a lot of artists in this area who have won major Australian art prizes. We’re really lucky and it’s humbling to see their works and exhibits and get the message about them to the wider community.
- Janelle Mattila - curator
Mrs Mattila said she gets ‘goosebumps’ every time she enters the room where the works are stored in preparation for the exhibition.
“It’s so eclectic with a large variety of works. As the artists are delivering their works, we are taking them out and when they look around and see the variety we’ve got, everyone is just astonished,” she said.
“We get goosebumps walking around what we call the Frida room, going out there is incredible.
“A lot of people associate regional artists as maybe a bit folksy or crafty, but we have a lot of artists in this area who have won major Australian art prizes. We’re really lucky and it’s humbling to see their works and exhibits and get the message about them to the wider community.”
The opening night of the exhibition will be held on Saturday, July 29 from 6 – 8pm – people are encouraged to dress up and wear flowers in their hair inspired by Frida Kahlo.
“People can meet the artists and we’re going to have sangria, tapas and music, it’s going to be a wonderful celebration of the artists and designers,” Mrs O’Brien said.
Details: ‘Frida Visits Kiama’ at Beachside Emporium, 44 Manning Street, Kiama, from 10am – 6pm weekdays, July 27 to August 2.