Blackwood Tokonoma - Deep Winter (June, July)

Blackwood Tokonoma - Deep Winter (June, July)
30 June – 29 July 2023

Download catalogue here.
View artworks here.

Neville French
Kevin Lincoln
Sandy Lockwood
Nannette Shaw

Kevin Lincoln appears courtesy of Niagara Galleries.
Neville French appears courtesy of Gallerysmith.

Location
Mr Kitly
381 Sydney Road (upstairs)
Brunswick, Bulleke-bek country

Blackwood Tokonoma 

The Blackwood Tokonoma is a curated installation space at the top of the stairs on entry to Mr Kitly. The wall is native Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) timber, with the niche inspired by the concept of tokonoma. A tokonoma is a recessed space in a reception room, “—the place of honour in a Japanese room where paintings and flowers are placed for the edification of the guests” (Kakuzo Okakura. “The Book of Tea.”).

The 'by Season' exhibition schedule denotes six seasonal phases of the year and draws on the Kulin Nations calendar and (Melbourne Botanic Gardens Director) Dr Timothy Entwisle’s proposition of a renewed seasonal calendar that more accurately reflects the conditions of the land around us. This schedule brings a seasonal context to each exhibition. Whilst not prescriptive, the changing seasonal focus aims to provide a source of inspiration for the works included. The hope is that with each passing year the ‘by Season’ exhibitions will tell a story.

Deep Winter (June, July)

cold, green, peak rainfall, bare trees in the parks, big southwesterlies, winter solstice shortest day of year, water droplets on tree fern fronds deep in the valleys, backyard cumquats abundant, wombats emerge to graze watch out for them on the road, things slow but still growing – we have no snowy blanket, calving season, echidnas breeding, cockatoos on the move screeching, birds building nests, barak's wattle the perfume wattle (silver wattle) flowers first, early nancys start to flower, the deep pink spires of the state emblem common heath appear under the mountain ash, pink red white camellias against glossy green, southern right whales cruising past in bass strait

See all Seasons here.

Woi-wurrung language terms are italicised. 
See information about the Kulin Nations calendar and seasonal knowledge of tens of thousands of years here. Read more about Timothy Entwisle's seasons here.

Mr Kitly is located on Bulleke-bek country. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people as the traditional custodians of the unceded land and waters where we live and work and pay our deepest respect to Elders past, present and emerging. It's a privilege to walk this land together.

Neville French
Cloud & Rain, 2021
glazed porcelain
14x23x16cm & 13x20x16cm
image courtesy Gallerysmith