Found and Gathered

Why I Went

I have always been drawn to exhibitions that make me look at familiar things differently.

Found and Gathered wasn’t simply about sculpture or mixed media. It explored how two remarkable Australian artists transformed discarded materials into works of extraordinary beauty and meaning. Their ability to find value in weathered, forgotten objects reminded me that creativity often begins with seeing potential where others see none.

It was an exhibition that encouraged me to slow down, observe more carefully, and appreciate both the Australian landscape and the stories embedded within everyday materials.

About the Exhibition

Presented at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Found and Gathered paired the work of two significant Australian artists -Rosalie Gascoigne and Lorraine Connelly-Northey -for the first time. Through more than seventy-five sculptures, assemblages and wall-based works, the exhibition explored their shared practice of collecting discarded materials and transforming them into powerful works of art.

Although both artists worked with found objects such as corrugated iron, wire, timber and other reclaimed materials, their inspiration came from very different places.

Rosalie Gascoigne drew upon the Australian landscape, using weathered road signs, soft drink crates, feathers and timber to create abstract works filled with light, colour and texture.

Lorraine Connelly-Northey, a Waradgerie (Wiradjuri) artist, repurposed industrial materials into forms inspired by traditional Aboriginal cultural objects, creating works that speak of Country, resilience and the enduring strength of Indigenous culture.

Together, the exhibition became a conversation between two artists connected through material, yet telling very different stories.

Highlights

What struck me most was how ordinary materials completely disappeared once they became part of each artwork.

Rusted wire became elegant woven vessels.

Corrugated iron became flowing landscapes.

Discarded timber became rhythmic abstract compositions.

One of the exhibition’s most memorable installations was Lorraine Connelly-Northey’s large-scale A Possum Skin Cloak: On Country, which winds through the gallery like the Murray River itself. It was both visually striking and deeply symbolic.

Rosalie Gascoigne’s works had a quiet simplicity that I found incredibly calming. There was nothing excessive or decorative. Every piece demonstrated that restraint can be just as powerful as complexity.

The exhibition itself was beautifully curated, allowing each artist’s work to breathe while creating thoughtful connections between them.

Lessons in Style

One of the reasons I enjoy visiting galleries is that they often reinforce ideas that extend well beyond art.

Found and Gathered reminded me that style isn’t created by constantly adding more. It comes from recognising potential, curating thoughtfully, and appreciating quality over quantity.

Just as these artists transformed overlooked materials into something meaningful, we can build wardrobes and homes by choosing pieces with intention rather than simply accumulating more.

Beauty doesn’t always come from something new.

Sometimes it comes from looking at familiar things with fresh eyes.

That is a lesson that applies just as much to personal style as it does to art.

The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.

Robert Swan