The Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre will open Earth and Ether, a significant exhibition celebrating the career of prominent South Australian artist Margaret Worth, tomorrow at 6pm.
The Earth and Ether exhibition presents a retrospective showcase of over five decades of Margaret Worth’s artistic output.
With loans from institutions and personal collections around Australia, this will be the first time these works have been shown together.
The exhibition demonstrates the breadth of Margaret’s practice, her mastery of creating a feeling, her special tie to regional and remote South Australia, and her continuous search for the best means available to carry an idea.
Moving from an academic background of music, physics, maths and psychology studies, Margaret found art to be the mechanism that bonded her beliefs and offered a pathway to explore her innate curiosity and courage.
In the 1960’s, Margaret swapped disciplines and moved to Adelaide to study at the South Australian School of Art, which she describes as ‘an exciting period of change’.
“I realised that art school was the place I needed to be. When I changed my studies in mathematics and science to art, I immediately knew I was in the right place,” she said.
Margaret travelled to New York with her then husband and established artist Syd Bell in 1969.
While the relationship ended in 1971, Margaret stayed in America to study at the New York School of Visual Arts, before winning a scholarship to Columbia University.
Upon returning to Australia as a single mother, Margaret faced the challenge of competing priorities and chose motherhood over art.
This led to a career change to focus on services and collaboration, working in planning and designing public spaces.
Her pioneer work in these fields has gained her greater recognition and led to many awards.
Exhibitions and Collections team leader Chris Clements said the exhibition was made possible with the assistance of the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia.
Earth and Ether also includes the production of a short documentary and a catalogue, both designed and produced in-house by The Riddoch Arts & Cultural Centre.
“To undertake a retrospective of this breadth, depth and significance is a huge milestone for our gallery, and we are very proud to be able to bring it all together here in Mount Gambier,” Mr Clements said.
“This has only been made possible with Margaret’s generosity and the dedicated work of our team here at the Riddoch.”
Margaret Worth: Earth and Ether opens at the Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre tomorrow at 6pm, with a floor talk with Margaret Worth and guest curator Eleanor Schiccitano on Saturday at 11am.
RSVP to riddoch@mountgambier.sa.gov.au or phone 8721 2563 during opening hours.
