Those strolling through Townsville’s Cotters Markets are being encouraged to step into the Diffraction Studio for an art experience with a difference.
Away, the studio’s first show for 2022, opened recently. Artist and curator Caleb Cameron said the eclectic collection of works by local artists has been capturing the attention of new audiences.
“Last week I’d say half the people who came in were straight off the street. They’d just been walking past, they came in, the mentioned to me ‘We’ve seen this space closed, we’ve seen all the sculptures, what’s happening here?‘
“To me art is a conversation and often art is a way for me to say something I can’t talk about. If someone wants to talk about the themes that’s great, I love that. But sometimes it’s just about the enjoyment of the art.”
“I’ve found it alienating in more high-brow galleries where you walk in and you say [to the attendant] ‘So, ahh, d’you know what’s happening in this?’ and they say ‘No, we’re just looking after it’.”
“…often art is a way for me to say something I can’t talk about.”
Away features Caleb’s own work, as well as pieces by Kesheena Kuleua, Liam Ganter, Mish Perara and Jonathan Stigter.
“I wanted to display the work of artists who I know, so that I could act as a mediator of information,” Caleb said.
Caleb’s artistic contributions included photos and digital works that have been printed and physically tattered.
“I didn’t feel like the emotions I wanted to explore in my artworks were being told through digital manipulation alone,” he said. “I really like the idea of warping it physically, distorting the works in a way that is impactful.
“I’m one guy and I don’t think the stuff I have experienced in my life is that important to tell, but I want to produce art that is a template for other people.
“I think I have a way with producing visuals that can do that. It’s like a conversation, you need to give something, but you also need to draw something from it. I think that’s what makes a good conversation.”
Diffraction Studio is located at 265 Flinders Street and open 9am-1pm Sundays or by appointment.
