There’s something about chicken art.
People seem to go just a bit clucking mad about it.
“It’s just egg-cellent really,” said artist Linda Newton, almost deadpan, as she showed the Express around some of the inclusions in Manu Feto Chicken Art Show that opened at Castlemaine’s Drying Shed Art Space on the weekend.
Linda is one of the established artists behind the Drying Shed and she’s also curating the new Manu Feto Chicken Art Show that the Drying Shed is staging in partnership with the local Friends of Lolotoe group.
This unique and quirky art exhibition is raising funds for the Friends group to help women in isolated Timor Leste (East Timor) establish small-scale chicken micro-enterprise projects.
“The importance of this project is food security,” Friends of Lolotoe secretary/treasurer, Castlemaine’s Chris Sertori said.
“In this area the people really struggle.”
A large number of local artists have contributed a wide range of works to the new exhibition – with chickens and all things chook-related the common thread.
In all cases a significant portion – if not all – of proceeds from works sold will go directly to the cause.
Students from five local primary schools – Winters Flat, Taradale, Chewton, Castlemaine North and Harcourt Valley – have also contributed stylised pieces after taking a cartooning workshop led by Linda.
“The range of art is just gorgeous,” Chris enthused.
Mosaics, paintings, textiles, metal sculpture, cards and cartoons are among the genres represented.
After pitching in a few more well-aimed puns regarding the “eggs-cruciation” of posing for photos and the need to make her “egg-sit”, Linda urged everyone to get along.
“It’s going towards a terrific cause,” she said.
Manu Feto Chicken Art Show continues through to Sunday August 26 at The Drying Shed Art Space.
