Exploring the BigCi

19 June – 2 August 2015

The idea of establishing an artist-in-residence program was on Rae Bolotin’s mind for a long time. It was inspired by an impact on her own artistic practice that she experienced during the Red Gate Gallery residency in Beijing, China. Over the following years, she met with a large number of other artists from around the world who shared with her their stories about doing various artist-in-residence programs.

In November 2011, after many years of thinking, researching and planning, Rae and Yuri Bolotin established BigCi on their property in Bilpin, on the edge of Wollemi National Park. BigCi (Bilpin international ground for Creative initiatives) is an independent, not-for-profit residency program run by an artist and an environmental explorer. Their main focus is to support serious artists by facilitating their projects.

BigCi provides the ground and state of the art facilities for the professional development of artists from various fields, including the visual and performing arts, literature, music, photography, film, and cross platform arts.

The BigCi’s aim is to run international standard, cutting edge, highly sophisticated artist residency programs that would enable artists to move forward with their artistic practices in the way it would not be possible otherwise.

Exploring the BigCi signals an exciting development for the creative program of the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, with the gallery supporting three residencies and commissioning artists Nandita Mukand, Kath Fries and Paul Mosig & Rachel Peachey to make new work. These works sit alongside those made by previous residents and speak to the importance of supporting the development of creative practice and in particular providing the ‘space’ in which artists may contemplate and nurture their skills and work. The significance and effect of such places and opportunities clearly evident in Exploring BigCi through the ways each of the artists has articulated their experiences and the unique and exquisite beauty of the Hawkesbury landscape.

Chris Dolman & Paul Williams (Australia), Kath Fries (Australia), Claudia Lüke (Germany), Paul Mosig & Rachel Peachey (Australia), Nicola Moss (Australia), Crisia Miroiu & Andrei Miroiu (France), Nandita Mukand (Malaysia)

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