Join Good Omen Goodeze (GOG) at Kambri for a ‘darn’ good time!

Want to be part of a community needlecraft group making comfort ‘goodies’ for hospital patients? Read on!

We spoke to Canberra resident Mary Liondi-Barlow who founded the charity Good Omen Goodeze (affectionately known as ‘GOG’), and Melanie Greenhalgh who manages ANU Thrive, about an exciting partnership that benefits a wide range of people across the Canberra community …

Mary, how did Good Omen Goodeze grow from a one-woman initiative?

“After knitting a beanie for a loved one undergoing chemotherapy, I began gifting my creations to patients and their families at the Canberra Hospital in about May 2017. A lot of my friends and colleagues and then people from the broader community started to join me. In October 2017 we decided we should give ourselves a name and form as an actual group. So it happened organically – I certainly didn’t set out to do anything like this!”

Melanie, how did Kambri at ANU become involved with GOG?

“I manage ANU Thrive which is within the wellbeing portfolio at ANU. GOG contacted us in September 2020 when they had received a small grant from the ACT government to provide knitting and crocheting workshops, specifically targeting university students. Then it got accelerated as we began to understand more about COVID and the fact that, particularly our international students, weren’t going to be able to leave campus. Traditionally, campus empties in November until February but suddenly we realised we were going to have quite a large cohort of people that were staying on campus and also in Canberra!”

Mary, how has the partnership with Kambri helped GOG?

“A great benefit has been Kambri’s support with the room we’ve been given to use for our meetings there. Prior to that we’d been meeting at the Canberra Hospital, but in May 2020 during COVID everything shut down, particularly volunteer services. People weren’t allowed in the hospital anymore so we ended up going online for a while, trying to keep our members connected with each other, and connected with GOG itself.”

“Then through a chance meeting of one of the ANU+ members at a different event, we found out about ANU Thrive, so it rolled on from there and they were able to support us with a space to hold the workshop. The workshops were so successful that Kambri offered us a larger room for the members to meet in, as well as for the students to join in. Having it on campus has been a fantastic opportunity because we had the students attending workshops but we also wanted to include them within GOG itself. The joy that our members get from passing on their skill and creativity – it’s an amazing experience.”

Melanie, how has the partnership with GOG helped Kambri?

“GOG was supported by the ACT Health Directorate which helped them supply 25 ‘Starter Packs’ for students that included knitting needles, crochet hooks, yarn, and patterns. The participants were able to keep them, which allowed them to continue to work on their project. We now have GOG conducting their regular working bees in the Marie Reay Teaching Centre, which Kambri at ANU have been so kind to offer as a free space.” 

“Holding these working bees gives students an opportunity to step away from study, to go and connect with other people that live in Canberra, and particularly older people as well. What’s really beautiful about it is the students are able to complete a project that is then used to support people who are in hospital. We know it’s good for the mental health and social aspects for the students, but then something concrete comes out of it as well.”

Mary, how many people usually attend the working bees at Kambri and what sort of items do volunteers make?

“Usually there’s up to 50 people, and they range in age from university students right through to ladies in their 90s!”

“Initially we mainly made beanies and blankets, but with so many people with so many different skills and ideas joining, it’s grown and I can’t tell you the number of different things that we actually make now! But we generally start beginners off with squares to knit together to make a blanket, so most of the new students who joined they’ve produced a square that we will eventually join together with everybody else’s square to create one large blanket to gift from the project to the ICU at Canberra Hospital.”

Melanie, what are some other benefits for ANU students involved with GOG?

“We’ve registered GOG as a volunteer organisation so any students that are participating in the project can also get acknowledgement of their volunteer hours, and if they do a certain amount that then goes on to their ANU transcript. More people are looking for the ‘whole person’, so students can say ‘This is also what I did to contribute to community’ and hopefully they’ll continue volunteering through their life beyond the campus.”

“During that period of time over summer we had so many international students come along, and it was just pure joy. Learning about each other, and we saw them swapping details and social media, so they could connect in other ways across the summer. That was for us, one of the major outcomes – we wanted to make sure people didn’t feel isolated and that they could talk with others that were experiencing similar type of feelings and emotions about not being able to go home. So, it was a very positive project!”

“The collaboration on this project was really lovely. Each party was saying ‘Let’s make this happen!’. There was a really beautiful, positive energy and willingness to make it work. It’s a brilliant example of community development which is supported by ANU Thrive, Kambri and GOG’s vision.”

Mary, what’s the key to the success of GOG? 

“I think it’s the fact that we created a community. The community that grew when I started it was important to my wellbeing and my mental health, and I can see that as we’ve moved along that’s still the main gift – we bring people together, all ages, all nationalities, from every walk of life. We have the local community and, obviously, our GOG members but we’ve got the university students at ANU, and they all come together. The joy that I get seeing all these people mix, having the time of their lives being creative and caring. For me, that’s one of the most important things, secondary to the beautiful items we make for patients and families who need them. It’s kind of twofold I think.”

Melanie, how can members of the Kambri community get involved?

One of the easiest ways is to jump on to the ANU Thrive social media pages: @ThriveANU on Facebook and @thrive_anu on Instagram.

Or you can email [email protected] or visit the website https://www.anu.edu.au/students/contacts/anu-thrive

For information on how you can become involved with the Good Omen Goodeze Community Threads Project, visit https://goodomengoodeze.org.au/community-threads-project/

For general information about Good Omen Goodeze visit their website https://goodomengoodeze.org.au or follow them on Facebook @GoGoodeze

We’re striking a chord with the Canberra International Music Festival at Kambri …

The eclectic sounds of musicians from all over Australia will fill the autumn air this April and May, with special performances in the precinct as part of the 2021 Canberra International Music Festival.

Kambri at ANU – in partnership with the Canberra International Music Festival (CIMF) – are proud to be presenting innovative art music of exceptional quality.

The starting point of this year’s 10-day event is ‘…the idea of Vienna’, but prominent Indigenous artists and ANU School of Music students take centre stage in this project.

The 2021 Festival runs from 29 April to 9 May, with two dates scheduled for Kambri:

Thursday 29 April

12–2pm

Outdoor Amphitheatre – Kambri Precinct

Free

One Seventeen are an emerging jazz fusion band from Canberra, bringing a much-needed dose of energy to your ears. Since forming at the ANU School of Music in late 2019, One Seventeen have been refining their sound, aided by the School’s high quality rehearsal spaces, and top of the line recording studio.

Guest Feature – musician Baran Yildiz.

6–7pm

aMBUSH Gallery, Kambri at ANU

Cost: $10 (redeemable at the door for a glass of Lerida wine)

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/william-barton-in-concert-with-the-anu-school-of-music-tickets-149983547829

William Barton and ANU School of Music

In a tranquil art gallery setting, be mesmerised by the artistry of William Barton, a Kalkadunga man, didjeridu player, electric guitarist, and classically trained composer.

William will be playing in conjunction with members of the ANU School of Music jazz faculty.

Friday 7 May

12–2pm

Outdoor Amphitheatre – Kambri Precinct

Free

Well-crafted and laid-back jazz-pop is the musical premise for the four-month-old Canberran duo, Burnish. Ally Hocking-Howe and Nick Chenery are ANU School of Music Students with an eclectic repertoire comprising well-known pop and jazz standards. Since November 2020, Nick and Ally have played a number of private and corporate functions across the ACT with nothing but glowing reviews from patrons. Through the tasteful instrumentation of gorgeous electrified Jazz-Violin and Jazz-Box Guitar, Burnish aim to promote a smooth, jubilant and easy-on-ear atmosphere. With a laid-back vocal approach and stylistic improvisation, Burnish provide the sound to make you close your eyes and go ‘Damn, that’s actually good!’

6–7pm

aMBUSH Gallery, Kambri at ANU

Cost: $10 (redeemable at the door for a glass of Lerida wine)

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/dobby-with-dj-diola-tickets-149985856735

DOBBY

DOBBY is a multi-instrumentalist and powerful young voice in the Australian music scene. Straddling hip-hop as well as classical, he is known for bouncing between piano, drums, and drum pads, with his unique signature ‘drapping’ (rapping and drumming at the same time). Performing together with DJ Diola, the result is never less than mind blowing.

Join us at Kambri to experience provoking, vibrant and uplifting performances thanks to the Canberra International Music Festival.

Dance! Draw! Paint! Weave! Exercise! Create! There’s still plenty of ways to engage your creativity this summer at Kambri …

Immerse yourself in a variety of inspiring workshops devised for families, students and the general public as part of the HERE I AM: Art by Great Women festival.

Participants will learn hands-on skills directly from professional women specialising in artforms including life drawing, dancing, traditional Indigenous weaving, linocut and painting.

Numbers are limited across all workshops, so book quickly to secure your spot.

EVENTS

Culture on the Move Workshop | Bush Animal Weaving

19, 20 and 21 January 2021
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Drama Theatre, Cultural Centre

Ronnie Jordan is a proud Kalkadoon woman who will share her traditional ecological knowledge with you.

Enjoy a hands-on workshop where you and your child each create a woven bush animal. The workshop inspires a connection to Aboriginal culture, and both children and adults will learn techniques of the age-old art of traditional weaving.

Dance Workshop | Kulture Break

20 and 21 January 2021
9:00 am – 11:30 am
Kambri Lawns
Free 

An introduction to the basic skills and foundations of dance and a sequence dance routine from Kulture Break. These workshops are empowering, entertaining and engaging for all ages and abilities.

Established in 2002, Kulture Break is a not-for-profit social enterprise mental health and well-being community service provider committed to the transformation and empowerment of children and youth.

Culture on the Move Workshop | Fish Trap Weaving

23 January 2021
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Drama Theatre, Cultural Centre

Come and learn from Ronnie Jordan – a proud Kalkadoon woman – in a traditional fish trap weaving workshop.

Enjoy a hands-on workshop which inspires a connection to Aboriginal culture and learn techniques of the age-old art of traditional weaving.

Paint Pinot Workshops

30 January 2021 (‘Highland Cow’ workshop)
and
31 January 2021 (‘Blue Nude’ workshop)
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Drama Theatre, Cultural Centre

Relax with a fun afternoon of painting and sipping wine. In three hours, participants will be guided in steps to create their own masterpiece. Absolutely no artistic skill is required, and all materials are supplied so you get to take home your ‘Highland Cow’ or ‘Blue Nude’ painting, ready to hang.

Paint Pinot was launched in regional NSW by artist and teacher Tina Hansen-Jones in 2017 and is based on the hugely popular ‘Paintnite’ events run in cities all over North America.

Sweet and Sour zine | Linocut Valentine’s Day Workshop

Friday, 12 February 2021
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
aMBUSH Gallery
Free

Got a sweetheart for Valentine’s Day yet? This workshop will be led by emerging Asian-Australian printmakers and will explore linocut printmaking techniques. It will begin with a speed ‘dating’ round (for singles and those already partnered just looking to meet new friends) where you have the opportunity to talk to everyone and get to know each other. You can then make your own linocut, and choose to gift it to someone you’ve met!

Unwind on the Greens

Weekly on Wednesdays from 20 January to 24 February
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Kambri Lawns
Free

Join the highly skilled ANU Sport group fitness instructors for a variety of free group workouts over the summer season and unwind at the end of a busy day as the sun sets over Black Mountain.

20^th January — Sh’bam with Kara Chalson

27^th January — Pilates with Lynn Materne

3^rd February — HIIT with Emily Ryan

10^th February — Body Attack with Jackie Crombie

17^th February — Sh’bam with Kara Chalson

24^th February — Body Balance with Lynn Materne

For the full events program, visit: kambri.com.au/event/here-i-am-art-by-great-women/

The Kambri Film Fest returns, with films that focus on females as part of the HERE I AM festival …

This January and February there’s a magnificent lineup of free films to ignite the imaginations of the young and the young-at-heart over three weekends at Kambri.

Held in the comfort of the indoor Kambri Cinema (good for any kind of weather!), movies include ‘Moana’, ‘Scoob’, ‘Dora and the Lost City of Gold’, ‘Secret Life of Pets 2’, ‘A Dog’s Journey’, ‘Ride Like A Girl’, ‘Tenet’, ‘Little Women’, and ‘The Farewell’, to name a few.

The family-friendly films begin at 3pm, with most featuring female leads. Evening sessions are geared towards adults and kick off at 7pm.

Thursday nights will highlight Australian women in film, Friday and Sunday nights will offer female-directed films from the last two years, while Saturday nights are reserved for blockbusters you may have missed in 2020.

In addition to free entry, there’s even one complimentary popcorn and beverage (water, juice or Coke product) for every person who attends!

For full program details and to register for your free tickets via Eventbrite, click here

To make an occasion of it, families and friends of all ages can meet up for a pre-movie meal and drinks at one of Kambri’s popular eateries, before heading into the cinema.

Parking is available at the ANU Kambri Union Court car park, with complimentary parking on the weekends for up to three hours.

The Kambri Film Fest 2021 is part of the HERE I AM: Art by Great Women festival and has been curated to celebrate and elevate the contributions of creative women in the film industry.

A nation unites in the name of art and expression at Kambri this summer

Inspired by the Know My Name movement and in a cultural partnership with the National Gallery of Australia (NGA), HERE I AM: Art by Great Women is a showcase of contemporary Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists from multi-disciplinary backgrounds including street art, fine art, photography, illustration, digital, sculpture, film and more.

Presented by Kambri at ANU, curated by aMBUSH Gallery and with over 100 featured artists, the summer-long family-friendly festival aims to re-energise our cultural landscape by showcasing some of Australia’s best female creative talent, in the heart of our nation. Activations will include outdoor public art and gallery exhibitions, live art and music events, craft workshops, film screenings, and more.

Running until 28 February 2021, HERE I AM: Art by Great Women will coincide with Know My Name by the NGA and will proudly feature contemporary female creatives including Gemma O’Brien, Georgia Hill, Aretha Brown, Lucy O’Doherty, Minna Leunig, Faith Kerehona, Bohie Palecek, Helen Proctor, George Rose, Noni Cragg, Kaff-eine, Nanami Cowdroy, Nicole Reed, and Selina Miles, to name but a few.

Comprising free public events across the Kambri precinct – including free parking on weekends – it’s a lively program appealing to audiences of all ages and backgrounds, and will provide an invaluable platform for women artists and creatives to engage with the broader community.

Some of the events on offer are:

– A large-scale display of work from 24 Australian female artists at the new outdoor venue, Exhibition Avenue. This free exhibition will be accessible to the general public 24 hours, 7 days a week.

– A group exhibition at aMBUSH Gallery Kambri headlining female artists working across a range of disciplines, including painters, illustrators, photographers, digital artists, object designers, and sculptors. The exhibition is free and will be open to the public daily from 10am-6pm weekdays and 12pm-5pm on weekends.

– In January, the Kambri Film Fest is back in the Kambri Cinema and will host two screenings per day across three weekends – a family-friendly segment with films starring heroines, and an ‘after hours’ session with films directed and written by women. Admission is free.

– On selected Sundays, the central Kambri Lawn will become a rousing stage for artists to put their painting skills on show. Live Art Sessions is a free public event that will feature an all-female roster of artists creating new work – all to the tune of live music provided by ANU and local Canberra musicians. 

– Kambri’s regular crowd-pleasing Music on the Greens will be a feature of each weekend during the festival. An all-female music talent schedule including Liv Li, Kim Yang, Dana Hassall, and Lucy Sugerman will bring live music to the Kambri Lawns. Free for attendees.

– Lakespeare & Co will conduct their fourth summer season with a free preview performance and interactive rehearsal of Measure for Measure presented exclusively for Kambri at ANU and the HERE I AM festival. Be prepared for the presentation of bold female leaders in this black comedy by the Bard.  

– The summer holidays will bring a range of free family-friendly activities led by female creatives. Kids will have the opportunity to get their hands dirty with art and craft workshops in aMBUSH Gallery, and keep in step with Kulture Break run dance workshops on the Kambri Lawns.

For the full festival schedule, visit https://kambri.com.au/event/here-i-am-art-by-great-women/

Enjoy a fascinating journey back in time at aMBUSH Gallery Kambri, discovering the activism and outrage of generations of ANU students.

During the month of October, aMBUSH Gallery Kambri will be filled with sights and sounds that represent student life at ANU over the past seven decades, with the opening of the new exhibition Woroni – 70 Years of Outrage and Activism.

It’s a fascinating collection from the archives of Woroni, the student media organisation, which sprang to life in 1950. What started as a humble student newspaper has since morphed into a print magazine, a website, a radio station and a TV program, providing multiple outlets for ANU students to have their voices heard.

Woroni – 70 Years of Outrage and Activism proudly showcases the diverse work and thoughts of hundreds of ANU students who have contributed to Woroni over the years. Upon its establishment, Woroni quickly forged a reputation for scrutinising and commenting on social justice, political, and environmental themes, to name a few. These topics are reflected in the sizeable collection of material chosen for display, and will evoke feelings of nostalgia, pride, reminiscence, wonder and amusement in viewers of all ages.

Curated by current Woroni staff and presented by aMBUSH Gallery, it’s an entertaining and often humorous retrospective that affectionately highlights the different generations of students who have passed through the university, and their engagement with issues both specific to their era, and those that have remained the same over time.

The exhibition includes a 7-metre-long timeline feature wall, a display of full-colour reprints of dozens of past Woroni covers, an overview of the history of Woroni, plus separate walls devoted to Activism (feminism, Indigenous rights, LGBTIQ+ issues, politics, free speech), Outrage (sex, drugs, nudity, profanity), Woroni Radio and Woroni Television.

Woroni – 70 Years of Outrage and Activism doesn’t shy away from the controversy surrounding the use of the word ‘woroni’. Chosen by the editorial board of 1950, it’s suggested it was taken without permission from the language of the Wadi Wadi nation from northern Victoria, with the translation meaning ‘mouth’ and perhaps extrapolated to ‘mouthpiece’. The modern-day Woroni Board acknowledge the complicated history behind the name and the legacy of stolen Indigenous names it contributes to.

The exhibition will be open to the public daily from 10am-6pm weekdays and 12pm-5pm on weekends until Sunday, 1 November. Admission is free.

For more information visit ambushgallery.com and look for aMBUSH Gallery on Facebook and Instagram for exhibition updates.

Catch your favourite authors in conversation in the ANU Meet the Author series – now from the comfort of your home!

With over two dozen events and counting, the ever-popular Meet The Author series has been drawing some of the biggest names in literature, history, politics, science and current affairs to Kambri since the precinct’s opening 18 months ago.

It’s a highly successful partnership between ANU, the Canberra Times, Kambri, and Harry Hartog Booksellers, and is part of the larger ANU/Canberra Times Meet The Author series that has been captivating the Canberra community for almost three decades.

Prior to the mandatory restrictions on social gatherings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the Meet The Author events were held in T2, the multi-use event space located on the upper level of the Cultural Centre. Events attracting larger crowds of over 500 – such as the ‘In Conversation’ featuring comedian and writer Shaun Micallef discussing his book ‘Mad as Hell and Back’ – were held in the spacious Manning Clark Hall.

Each event also gave members of the general public the opportunity to purchase the guest speaker’s book from Harry Hartog and have it personally signed either before or at the conclusion of the talk.

Stand-out events at Kambri have so far included: Australia’s favourite science guru, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki; award-winning writer and journalist, Jane Caro; Karen Viggars, the Canberra award-winning author of three international bestselling novels; the ABC Q&A host and one of Australia’s most admired journalists, Tony Jones; and Blanche d’Alpuget, whose latest book ‘Bob Hawke: The Complete Biography’ details the life of her late husband.

Although social gathering restrictions caused the cancellation of some Meet the Author events, ANU soon found a way to continue them in the virtual world, giving book lovers and knowledge seekers the chance to gain insights into their favourite authors, year-round. Signed copies of the books are still available to purchase online on the Harry Hartog website.

The first virtual event was held in April and was a conversation between former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who spoke about his recently released memoir, ‘A Bigger Picture’, with Katharine Murphy, the Guardian Australia’s political editor. You can view the conversation here. 

Upcoming virtual live events include appearances from:

• Marian Wilkinson discussing her new book ‘The Carbon Club’, the inside story of how a network of influential climate sceptics, politicians and business leaders fought to control Australia’s climate policy.
• Chris Wallace on her book ‘How To Win An Election’, which spells out the ten things a political leader and their party must excel at to maximise the chance of success, and against which they should be accountable between and during elections.
• Katharine Murphy with a timely exploration of her new Quarterly Essay, ‘The End of Certainty. Scott Morrison and Pandemic Politics’.
• Andrew Leigh and Nick Terrell on their new book ‘Reconnected. A Community Builder’s Handbook’.

Check here for the latest news on the Meet the Author series.

Meet the Author talks are also regularly podcasted and are available through Soundcloud.

As restrictions are eased, we look forward to once again hosting in-person gatherings for Meet the Author events at Kambri.

In the depths of winter 2020, the golden child of the week – Friday night – got even better thanks to Kambri at ANU!

Streaming free via Facebook from the incredible Manning Clark Hall came the innovative program ‘Music on the Screens’ – a series of dance party sets featuring ANU student DJs, singer/songwriters and bands filmed on stage with decks, lighting and an audio-visual show that made viewers feel like they were right there in the venue.

For two Fridays during July, viewers were invited to leave the week that was behind with a two-hour set from Vessel Collective, breezing through an eclectic array of genres.

Performers included Shad (afrobeats, house, funk), Destiny (city pop, house, Japanese funk), Mim (funky house), Pranav (YNG Daku) (techno, hiphop), Mami (techno, rave) and Jasmine (techno, tech house, house).

For the third and final week, in partnership with ANUSA, it was time for a virtual party, with Bush Week 2020 ending with a lineup of all-star ANU singer/songwriter talents performing 30-minute sets.

Recording the musical acts in Manning Clark Hall – Kambri’s world-class live music venue that normally plays host to bands such Hermitude and The Chats – gave students the rare chance to perform in a space they would not normally have access to.

Along with giving students a foot in the door to the music scene, Music on the Screens was also a way to put familiar faces from around the university in front of new audiences – the equivalent of taking an intimate bar scene and translating it to a large, professional venue.

The partnership with Vessel Collective and the ANU students who performed during Music on the Screens has been one of the most positive aspects to come from a difficult year. Vessel Collective’s aim is to give anyone with an interest the opportunity to get behind decks and build their confidence, no matter who they are or what they’re into, and in the process create an inclusive dance floor.

For more information on how you can get involved in Vessel Collective, find them on Facebook and Instagram @vessel_djcollective

As we seek new ways to connect and entertain online – in lieu of events and gatherings – Music On the Screens was a brilliant opportunity for ANU students to get their music out there in front of the hundreds of people who tuned in.

If you have a burning idea for any future online student-based content, please reach out and contact [email protected]

Looking for a change of scenery while you hit the books? aMBUSH Gallery Kambri has opened its doors as a study space.

We all know the saying ‘A change is as good as a holiday’, and with holidays as we know them currently off the cards, aMBUSH Gallery Kambri are adding an element of fun into daily life by inviting students into their gallery to study.

aMBUSH is much more than a physical exhibition space – it’s a hub where you can crack into your uni work in the company of art, music and big ideas. Located on the second floor of the Cultural Centre (above Harry Hartog Booksellers), there are floor to ceiling windows that flood the space in natural light, plus neighbouring retailers to keep you fed and caffeinated, and furniture with charging stations to settle into comfortably as you listen to your lectures.

It’s also a great way to take some time out to view the current exhibition – a retrospective of Australian street art that is part of the aMBUSH Collection, showcased in the groundbreaking Outpost Project – the biggest street art festival in the world – on Cockatoo Island in 2011.

If the idea of a change of environment appeals, simply turn up to aMBUSH Gallery during their normal hours of 10 to 6pm weekdays and 12 to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. There’s no need to book – simply sign in and choose your spot.

You can enjoy the serene atmosphere with low level, laid-back music providing the perfect backdrop, and if you BYO cup there’s even free tea and coffee. (Food can be brought in but must be consumed on the undercover balcony area).

As an added bonus, Vessel Collective will be conducting free one-on-one DJ tutorial sessions on equipment use on Fridays and Saturdays (contact them direct via their Facebook page or email for more information).

Normal social distancing rules apply, as do all the standard hygiene measures. The space is cleaned regularly and thoroughly, and hand sanitiser is available. For those looking for a quieter study space, some tables and chairs will also be set up in the hallway next to the gallery.

Whether it’s a quick meeting, hanging with your friends or a whole day of study on the cards, come and pull up a seat amongst the art and like-minded people – the friendly crew from aMBUSH Gallery look forward to seeing you there!

Contact the Kambri concierge at [email protected] for more information, and look for aMBUSH Gallery on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

aMBUSH Gallery in partnership with Kambri at ANU are launching The Hero’s Journey Art Prize 2020 – a time capsule exhibition and social experiment in one.

The Hero’s Journey is a classic narrative arc shared by almost every story ever told: a character ventures out to get what they need, faces conflict, and ultimately triumphs over adversity. The year 2020 is our hero’s journey, and aMBUSH Gallery want to know how artists have responded.

Life in countries all around the world has been thrown into uncertainty: the Australian bushfires, COVID-19, self-isolation, social distancing, Black Lives Matter protests, political acts of ignorance and infamy, swarms of locusts and killer bees, and the widespread global economic impacts from the pandemic, are just a few of the trials we’ve faced.

To document this important time in world history and understand how the call of 2020 has been heeded, aMBUSH Gallery are inviting visual artists, graphic designers, and digital agencies from around Australia to capture the essence of this year in the form of a poster. How does it feel? What does it look like? Is there treasure to be salvaged and lessons to be learnt? And what will life look like when we emerge from this tumultuous year?

Curated and presented by aMBUSH Gallery in partnership with Kambri at ANU, finalists will be chosen by aMBUSH to be featured in an online exhibition at Kambri. One winner will be selected by an independent panel to receive an AU$3,000 cash prize.

Dependant upon on social gathering restrictions for the remainder of the year, there may also be an exhibition at aMBUSH Gallery (Kambri at ANU) where finalists’ artwork will be printed, exhibited and sold on their behalf, with no commission taken on sales.

The Hero’s Journey Art Prize 2020 promises to be a compelling artistic examination of how the world has responded when unprecedented historical events forced us all to be heroes.

Visit www.ambushgallery.com for more information, and look for aMBUSH Gallery on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

View the artist callout doc here for more info on how to enter.

This winter, visitors to Kambri will have their day brightened by artworks from six iconic Australian photographers

Where I Stand is a stirring photographic exhibition that tells visual tales captured simply but powerfully in single frames. These 24 intensely personal works take viewers into realms of transformation, rebirth, identity, history, nature, connection and the Dreamtime, from artists Michael Cook, Dr. Judith Crispin, Sarah Ducker, Murray Fredericks, Barbara McGrady and Michael Jalaru Torres.

The works will be shown on Exhibition Avenue, a new outdoor public art space set along University Avenue, which launched on 27 July – an innovative initiative of Kambri at ANU, produced and curated by aMBUSH Gallery. It will feature a free year-round program of multidisciplinary exhibitions and activations, with an aim to showcase and support our world-class talent – both emerging and established – and provide an ever-changing ‘walk of art’ for staff, students, locals and visitors to Canberra alike.

In tumultuous times such as these, the artists serve as influential mentors, assisting us with our own reflection and reassessment in the face of difficult universal experiences. Though the current challenges may feel apocalyptic, their art speaks of radical change and is ultimately uplifting, connecting the audience to the strongest bonds of all – people, place and culture.

Where I Stand is curated in partnership with aMBUSH’s long time collaborator, the Head On Photo Festival, founded in Australia by Moshe Rosenzveig, OAM. Bill Dimas, co-director of aMBUSH Gallery says, “We joined forces with Head On Photo Festival not just because they’re the largest and most important photography festival in the world, but because we wanted to demonstrate the power of collaboration and how creative organisations can support each other. We’ve worked together with the artists to bring a carefully selected body of artwork, rich in storytelling and meaning at this critical time where our world is overwhelmed by a negative news cycle. Where I Stand transports you into a beautiful world of ancient wisdom, cultural renaissance and human connection.”

Where I Stand will be on display 24 hours a day (thanks to solar powered lights) until Saturday 31 October.

The artists involved are:

Michael Cook (QLD): an award-winning photographer who worked commercially in Australia and overseas for twenty-five years. In 2009, he began to make art photography, driven by an increasingly urgent desire to explore issues of identity. His photographic series are unique in their approach, evocatively recreating incidents that emerge from Australian colonial history.

Dr. Judith Crispin (ACT): a Canberra-based poet and visual artist, with a background in music. Her work includes themes of displacement and identity loss, a reflection on her own lost Aboriginal ancestry, but primarily it is centred on the concept of connection with Country. 

Sarah Ducker (NSW): Sarah has a creative life that’s evolved through a number of different media, from theatre direction to documentary filmmaking, before finding its most eloquent expression in photography. Regardless of the subject matter, Sarah’s work reflects the pure charisma of nature through a refined and sensitive eye. Every image is invested with the lyricism of the poetic in nature. 

Murray Fredericks (NSW): Murray studied politics and economics at Sydney University before traveling in the Middle East and in the Himalayas. Spending large amounts of time in these powerful locations provided the basis for his essentially self-taught photography. Some years into his exhibiting career he completed a Masters of Art and then his MFA. His work is derived from a perspective that views culture as something that cannot be wholly accounted for through social construct.

Barbara McGrady (QLD/NSW): a Gamilaroi/Gomeroi Murri Yinah (Woman) and a passionate advocate for telling the true stories of contemporary Aboriginal life, documenting her mob’s achievements, humanity and beauty through a unique lens. As both an observer and protagonist in the ongoing conflict between Aboriginal culture, spiritual connection to country and Australian colonial sensibilities, McGrady clearly defines the implications of this disconnect in her work. 

Michael Jalaru Torres (VIC): an Indigenous photographer and media professional inspired by the unique landscapes and people of the Kimberley region. His photography draws on his personal history and explores contemporary social and political issues facing Indigenous people. Much of his work involves conceptual and innovative portraiture and abstract landscape photography.

Discover life beyond study with a year-round calendar of cultural events at Kambri.

Art and culture have long enhanced the intellectual atmosphere of ANU for students, staff and the wider community alike, and with the opening of Kambri came plenty of opportunities to enjoy the arts without stepping off campus.

The design of a range of event spaces – both large and small – was a central focus in the planning of the precinct. From the intimate Drama Theatre to the purpose-built 305-seat cinema to the magnificent 1000 concert capacity Manning Clark Hall or the wide-open spaces of University Avenue, the outdoor amphitheatre, or the lush lawns, there’s a place that’s perfect for every type of event.

Providing a diverse range of activities and programs – literally something for everyone – has also cemented Kambri as a cultural attraction in its own right; a place that is both welcoming and accessible to the general public.

Many activities on offer are free, including:

• Meet The Author talks with ANU, The Canberra times and Harry Hartog Booksellers (past guests include Shaun Micallef, Andrew Leigh, Tony Jones, Karen Viggers, Jane Caro and Dr. Karl)
• Music On The Greens
• Fitness on the Greens
• Saturday DJ sessions
• Kambri Film Fest
• Classics at Kambri car show

There is also a wide variety of ticketed events including world-class live music acts (Kurt Vile, The Tea Party, The Chats and Birds of Tokyo to name a few), a Family Film Fest, Shakespeare by the Lake, TEDx Talks, plus recent release movies shown in the cinema by the ANU Film Group.

aMBUSH Gallery houses a regularly rotating calendar of free art exhibitions, plus artist talks (past guests include Reg Mombassa and David and Noni Cragg), a weekly Art Bar, DJ workshops and meetups for the Queer Society.

There’s also plenty of rich Indigenous history to be found on campus as well as public art to be discovered, all accessible via the ANU Walk app.

At various times of the year ANU students also have exhibition opportunities to showcase their art projects and studio work.

Kambri has opened up the university to many different groups and people, with arts and culture that provides a unifying force and makes life at ANU even more lively and enjoyable.

There’s always something inspiring happening, so stay tuned to social media to see what’s coming next to Kambri!