Jason Parker will have an exhibition in the Benalla Art Gallery from April 11 – May 4. Photo: Shannyn Higgins.
Benalla becomes a hub of creative exploration this April with three thought-provoking exhibitions to be held at both the Benalla Art Gallery and Visitor Information Centre.
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From Jason Parker’s immersive reflections on the cycles of life, creation, and destruction, to Baby Guerrilla’s layered interpretations of human connection and transformation, and James Bugg’s poignant photographic exploration of distant and local landscapes, each exhibition offers a unique lens through which to engage with art.
Together, they invite visitors to reflect on themes of renewal, vulnerability, and the interplay between nature, humanity, and art itself.
Jason Parker: Rise Ruin Renew Repeat
Benalla Art Gallery - April 11 – May4
Rise Ruin Renew Repeat embodies the cycle of creation and destruction, blending themes of existence, struggle, and transcendence. The exhibition has two distinct halves, each exploring different aspects of this cycle.
One theme is oil paintings on concrete that have been violently disrupted — meticulously crafted works, over 50 hours in the making, shattered into rubble by a hammer in a chaotic flurry. This destruction speaks to the inevitable decay and despair inherent in life.
The other theme is a celebration of life and movement through a series of large paintings inspired by dance. Dance, as a form of expression, connects us to the divine, embodying renewal and the joy of existence. This continues themes from Jason’s previous exhibitions, delving into the duality of humanity, society, and nature itself — the endless cycle of creation, destruction, and rebirth.
To bring his vision to life, Jason collaborated with a diverse team of metal fabricators, dancers, photographers, videographers, musicians, and set builders. His aim is to create an immersive, emotionally resonant experience that lingers with viewers long after they’ve left the space. Unlike previous exhibitions, he has shifted away from a literal narrative, embracing a more ambiguous, emotionally charged approach.
As visitors move through Rise Ruin Renew Repeat, they are invited to experience the visceral push and pull of creation and destruction, each element interwoven to provoke contemplation of our own cycles. This journey through contrasting realms — chaos and order, despair and hope — asks them to reflect on the impermanence of all things and the resilience of renewal. With each artwork, installation, and soundscape, Jason’s hope is to immerse visitors in a space where the remnants of destruction give rise to new beginnings, resonating beyond the gallery walls and into our own cycles of change.
Baby Guerrilla: Dancing with Gravity
Benalla Art Gallery April 11– May 4
Baby Guerrilla will be exhibiting at Benalla Art Gallery from April 11 - May 4.
Baby Guerrilla is an artist, based in Naarm/Melbourne, interested in approaching space and perspective in new and innovative ways inside and outside a gallery or traditional art space.
Baby Guerrilla’s work is layered. There is no singular narrative or reading. She makes it to be open to the insights, thoughts, feelings, and interpretations that the viewer brings.
As well as aspects of everyday life and human connection, Baby Guerrilla explores our connection to, and impact upon, this earth.
Her first street works were partly autobiographical depictions of tiny women falling naked from the sky.
They reflected her own vulnerability, a longing for connection and somewhere to land.
Other figures are often in a state of floating. Some of them seem to be in a trance and some in a state of transition or transformation mid-air.
Some of them are being held onto by others. What’s common among all of these is that they are open to a variety of interpretations.
James Bugg: Near and Far
Benalla Visitor Information Centre - March 27 – April 28
James Bugg will be exhibiting in Benalla's Visitor Information Centre from March 27 – April 28.
Near and Far is a culmination of two ongoing bodies of work created over the past seven years. These bodies of work combine pictures made in distant places while travelling, alongside scenes much closer to home.
Someplace/Somewhere is a series of photographs depicting murals in small towns all over Australia.
Unsuspecting walls act as a canvas to depict scenes from someplace else.
These scenes, encountered in suburban backyards, rural supermarkets and agricultural areas, leave the viewers wondering who the artists were who painted them?
The Lake is an ongoing series of photographs made on and around Lake Eildon, examining the intersections between leisure, agriculture and the natural environment. This selection of works, mostly taken in early morning fog or late evening light, depicts a quiet calmness on the lake. A contrast to the drone of boat motors and action that often inhabits the lake.
As the 2025 Benalla Street Art Festival official photographer, James Bugg will be walking the streets over the festival weekend, capturing all the action.
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