Reflecting on L.A.S (Lismore Art Space) – 7 years as an Artist-Run Initiative
By Joanna Kambourian
I’ve been collaborating with the ARI Remix Living Archives Project since 2014. It’s been an enjoyable process to work as Digital Mentor, Social Media and WordPress Maven, on this bold online mapping of Australia’s unique and diverse Artist- Run Culture. It’s been an enlightening process discovering the wealth of heritage and history in Australia’s ARI scene, past, present and future.
Lismore Art Space is an Artist Run warehouse space in Lismore that has been custom designed with artists & creative industries in mind. Large light filled areas, communal spaces, outdoor work areas and gardens as well as two dedicated printmaking studios.
Full time operation of the art space began in 2010 as a result of my successful Australia Council for the Arts ArtStart grant, and along with artist and printmaker, Darren Bryant we were able to take on full time management of the space. L.A.S has since hosted a large number of local artists, creatives, collaborations, projects, events, workshops and exhibitions. Our key motivation has been to create an inclusive space that is focused on community, collaboration, social agency and professional development for artists, supported by artists.
Most recently projects include curating “The Outpost” a group exhibition of local artists in a pop-up show at the Old post office in Lismore, as part of RANSW Artstate events in December 2017.
http://lismoreartspace.net.au/the-outpost-popup-exhibition/
During Artstate we also collaborated with Brisbane graphics and letterpress studio, The Bacon Factory (Clint Harvey) on a public installation work, “Road Trippin'”. This was designed for and installed in a disused space in Lismore, comprising of over 20m of hand screen printed wallpaper from screens sourced from the archives of the Brisbane City Council and originally used to print QLD road signs.
http://lismoreartspace.net.au/road-trippin/
This year so far we have started off with visiting Dublin based artist Gerard Greene doing a week long residency in the print studio, working on a number of prints for upcoming exhibition, as he travels around Australia.
lismoreartspace.net.au
msbrownslounge.com.au
#lismoreartspace
#jo_msbrown
Feature Image Photography by Alana Potts
