Sai-Wai Foo

 RETURN TO THE CITY | Christmas at The Johnston Collection 2016 | 17

RETURN TO THE CITY, Christmas at The Johnston Collection exhibition features the new works by Melbourne-based makers and artists for the first time in over a decade.

Each year a different region in Victoria has become the focus to create new works for this project, based on aspects or items in The Johnston Collection or relating to the life of William Robert Johnston (1911-1986).

This year, The Johnston Collection has commissioned Melbourne-based artists and collectives to create and contribute to our annual exhibition-house tour.

RETURN TO THE CITY will include artists collectives Hotham Street Ladies, The GLAD Rappers and The Melbourne Tapestry Weavers Collective and individual artists Anne Bolitho, Lewis Brownlie, ChiliPhilly, Amanda Dziedzic, Sai-Wai Foo, Irianna Kanellopoulou, Abbey Rich, Robyn Rich, Sharron Okines, Louise Saxton and Ellen Sorensen The makers have been working on their creations for over a year with many individual pieces taking hundreds of hours to complete.

The Johnston Collection has encouraged challenges to traditional making, thinking and practice through contemporary responses to the Collection, along with more traditional responses that reflect historical techniques, materials and making.

This exhibition offers an ‘inspired’ interpretation of the Collection.

RETURN TO THE CITY’ brings together the work of Melbourne’s best contemporary makers in one magnificent show.

FEAST | Christmas At The Johnston Collection 2017|18

Sensory feasts to feats of thought and contemplation to feast your eyes on will be parcelled up in our third survey exhibition, FEAST. This year we've hand-picked some of our great contributors who have exhibited work from over five years of Christmas exhibitions, along with a smattering of new ones, for our annual tour.

With works inspired by William Johnston and his collection, this exhibition will feature works by artists and guilds from Mornington Peninsula (2013-2014), Geelong and the Surf Coast (2014-2015), Gippsland and environs (2015-2016) and Melbourne city (2016-2017).

The Johnston Collection encourages challenges to traditional making, thinking, and practice, through contemporary responses to the Collection, along with more traditional responses that reflect historical techniques, materials, and making.

FEAST brings together superb creations by some of Melbourne and Victoria's best contemporary makers in one magnificent show. Old will be new again.