General News
21 September, 2023
Chris Orr reflects on Maryborough exhibition
A new exhibition at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery challenges the perceptions of local buildings, locations and streetscapes and invites residents to be proud of what Maryborough has to offer. Iconic local landmarks like the Bull & Mouth...
A new exhibition at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery challenges the perceptions of local buildings, locations and streetscapes and invites residents to be proud of what Maryborough has to offer.
Iconic local landmarks like the Bull & Mouth Hotel, railway station and McLandress Square have been captured on canvas, as well as moody local streetscapes and familiar scenes like a trip to the fish and chip shop on a Friday night.
These works are among more than 20 that make up local artist Christopher Orr’s Hidden in Plain Sight exhibition, which pays homage to his own experience of moving to Maryborough 14 years ago and discovering what he said many locals may take for granted.
“The idea was to present an exhibition that would make Maryborough people aware of some of the iconic landmarks we have around town, rather than just accepting them and taking them for granted which most of us do,” he said.
“We have something unique here, these paintings show that what we have are not ordinary things we have in this community, they’re things to be celebrated.
“I’m hopeful this exhibition will open people’s eyes to what we have here in town, I do hope it’s the sort of thing you see, take a step back from and feel proud to have.”
Mr Orr’s paintings are snippets of life in Maryborough, seen every day from the perspective of someone who stops and pauses to take in their surroundings.
He said his paintings invite people to enjoy the moment and appreciate what we have, as time inevitably moves on and change is certain.
“What any sort of painting does is it becomes a historical record, things change all the time and so I believe it’s important to embrace what we have now and portray that, possibly through art, so it’s enjoyed in the future,” he said.
“I think it’s very important to appreciate what you’ve got and value it, because it will change.”
Mr Orr has a unique story as an artist, only taking up the paintbrush and easel around 20 years ago, when he was 58.
“I suppose 58 is quite a late start compared to some others but it was a sort of natural transition for me, I’m a commercial artist and illustrator by trade,” he said.
“Painting was a way for me to move away from illustration where I was solving somebody else’s problem to being able to solve my own.”
Painting local landmarks in just three months for the exhibition, Hidden in Plain Sight is Mr Orr’s first solo exhibition.
“In the 14 years I’ve been here I’ve been in a few group exhibitions but this is the first time I’ve actually exhibited individually,” he said.
“I’ve got a lot of love for this city and I need to push that out for the locals to appreciate.
“There is an appeal to small towns you just can’t find anywhere else.”
Hidden in Plain Sight will be on display until October 29 at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery, located at 1 Neill Street, Maryborough and open from Thursday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.