Benalla Art Gallery in partnership with 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney (4A) will host a Community Weekend to close out the major exhibition Bush Diwan, inspired by the local story of Siva Singh.
The weekend of culture, art, performance, learning and community celebration celebrates the legacy of community gathering, inspired by Siva Singh’s bringing together of Sikhs on his property in December 1920. Full program details are available from the Benalla Art Gallery website.
Exhibiting artists Amardeep Shergill, Anindita Banerjee, Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa and Perun Bonser, and Manisha Anjali will be in attendance, delivering Phulkari (Punjabi textile and embroidery) workshops, talks unpacking their respective practices, Day Dream and Poetry workshops, and a performance of Anindita Banerjee’s Transient Temples work.
The program will commence at 6.30am on the Saturday with a morning meditation session, which will include the Japji Sahib followed by kirtan (devotional music) performed by Granthis from the Shepparton Sikh Gurudwara.
From midday until 3pm on the Saturday, the community will be welcome to gather in the Botanical Gardens surrounding Benalla Art Gallery to be immersed in a curated selection of music, enjoy complementary chai tea and mango lassi catered by Tandoori Hut Benalla, with the Nice Kurry Place food truck also on location for those wanting lunch.
Benalla Art Gallery Director, Eric Nash, said it was “an extremely fitting way to conclude this important exhibition. The bringing together of community really resonates with the incredible life story of Siva Singh.
We’ve been very encouraged by the communitiy response to the show, with over 5,300 visitors so far, including a number who have travelled to Benalla specifically to see the exhibition.”
