The
City of Penrith, near Sydney, and Fujieda City in Japan's Shizuoka
Prefecture are sister cities. This relationship has been developed
since 1984 through cultural, social and sporting exchanges. The
exhibition Shimai Toshi has been developed by Penrith Regional
Gallery in collaboration with Fujieda City to celebrate the 20th
anniversary of this relationship.
Shimai Toshi features four of Australia's most accomplished
contemporary visual artists, Brook Andrew, Michael Butler, Prins
(a.k.a. Haro) and Regina Walter. Taking its premise from the term
'Shimai Toshi' (giving of gifts between sisters) Shimai Toshi
proposes the symbolic offering of gifts between two regional sister
cities and communities - Penrith and Fujieda. Deceptively decorative
and lush the installation-based exhibition offers displays' of filial
affection, shared experience and collective critique. Intended to
blend and highlight seemingly differing and highly individualised
modes and methodologies of contemporary practice the exhibition
also intends the examination of cultural synergy and similarity
between Australia and Japan.
Brook Andrew's inter-disciplinary
work deals with issues of Indigenous identity, gender, politics,
modernity and contemporary communication. Andrew will continue his
investigation of the synergistic manifestations and
effects of global culture by creating an installation of elegant
light-works seemingly familiar and resonant with both Japan and
Australia.
The inspiration for Michael Butler's
work is both secular and religious. Utilising classical decorative
techniques such as collage and fresco his installation (two sets
of collaged professional baseball bats) will gently probe differing
cultural metaphors and synergy. His collage and distressed
images investigate contemporary notions and realities of identity,
gender and national ethos.
Prins (a.k.a. Haro)
uniquely renders the billowing and intermingled lettering of graffiti
into three-dimensional carved blocks. Originally an aerosol artist
Prins now transfers his aerosol practice to low relief sculpture
each featuring the letters of his tag name Prins. Prins will create
a series of carved works exploring cross cultural identity
detailing his own Japanese cultural heritage.
The use of light is at the core of Regina
Walter's practice. Using banal and domestic materials she
creates light-works of magic and beauty. Walter will create a series
of lightworks examining botanic metamorphosis and cross
cultural synergy and symbolism. Highly decorative and handcrafted
Walter's lightworks will be a series of cascading beaded and woven
light drapes.
Shimai Toshi is a joint project of the Penrith Regional Art
Gallery and the Asialink Centre of The University of Melbourne,
in partnership with Fujieda City Museum.
Shimai Toshi is part of the Australia-Japan Art Exhibitions
Program, an initiative of Asialink and the Australia-Japan Foundation.
It is further supported by the Australia Council, the Australian
Government's arts funding and advisory body, and the Australian
Embassy, Tokyo. 
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