By Derek Schlennstedt
A new Gallery that celebrates, art, chai, music and health has opened in Belgrave.
Curator Paul Watt declared the gallery and arts hub ‘Highway Elephant’ open on 12 December in the presence of Dandenong Ranges Arts members, guests, dignitaries and local business operators.
Amidst the opening was chai, food, and music by local artist Luke Sassafras, though the centrepiece was the exhibited artwork by Amanda Wright.
“Using solid block colours and her own distinctive style, Amanda Wright paints powerful portraits of Aboriginal people.”
“She draws inspiration from family and friends as well as the Mullum Mullum Indigenous gathering place and community, a group of people who are committed to retaining promoting and strengthening Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural identity in the Eastern Metropolitan region of Melbourne.”
Speaking to the Mail, Mr Watt from Belgrave Heights said he hoped the gallery would be a space for people of Belgrave to come together and feel welcome.
“As a physio I set up this space to prove allied health, music, art and chai.”
“It’s combining everything really.”
Mr Watt said that the gallery would be a flexible space that offers more than art and combines health with art.
“Every two months I’ll exhibit an artist for one month and then we focus on other things such as the music and the physio therapy.”
“We’re going to do six exhibitions next year of local artists. We’re also creating a collective of therapists, so councillors, psychotherapist, physiotherapist and children’s occupational therapist.”
“People can come in, relax, and enjoy the art.”
Each fortnight Mr Watt also runs a Men’s circle as part of the Mankind Project, which involves men’s groups called iGroups and is a peer-facilitated meeting where men can hone the skills and tools to be better fathers, husbands, partners, friends and global citizens.
The current Amanda Wright exhibition will run until Christmas.
Highway Elephant is located at 1633 Burwood Highway.
