Society eyes future of art exhibition
In a bid to keep the South Canterbury Art Society ‘‘moving forward’’ it will, for the first time, include digital art and photography in its annual exhibition.
‘‘If we’re just going to stay in a traditional sense, we won’t have any more members,’’ South Canterbury Art Society (SCAS) president Sue Connolly said.
‘‘[We’ve] got to keep the art society moving forward,’’ she said.
Connolly said digital art had become a ‘‘big player’’ in the art market, and it was important for the society to be supportive of all artists and different mediums.
It was also hoped the inclusion of digital works might encourage more younger artists to join the society, she said.
There had already been a couple of younger people join recently, and they had received about eight submissions in the digital category, she said.
‘‘It will be quite interesting to see how it goes.’’
‘‘This gives people who aren’t professional, as in they don’t have galleries representing them, an opportunity to be viewed in a public space,’’ Connolly said.
Ara Institute of Canterbury art tutor Mike Armstrong said he encouraged students to join the society, but said many didn’t understand the advantages of being a member until they graduated.
He was unsure how many students might enter the digital category, but said it was ‘‘great’’ the society was incorporating the art forms into its exhibition.
‘‘There’s an ongoing change in the art scene and certainly when you go to big galleries, in the metropolitan centres, you see huge amounts [of digital art],’’ Armstrong said.
The exhibition will be held at the Aigantighe Art Gallery, will include an Alpine Energy Art Awards ceremony on October 14.
The exhibition runs until October 30. Submissions close October 11.