SALTWATER SPACE
Two of the Territory’s art scene heavyweights join forces to open an exciting new gallery space, sitting over the saltwater of Darwin Harbour. Matt Ward and Paul Johnstone extend a warm invitation to all, as they throw open the doors to the new Outstation Gallery.
WORDS & INSET IMAGE TIERNEY WHITE
THE NEW GALLERY is a modern, flexible, beautifully lit exhibition space in the Darwin Waterfront Precinct. It’s expertly designed to elevate and celebrate the world-class Aboriginal art the duo has become revered for sharing, both independently and in collaboration.
This merging of Paul Johnstone Gallery with Outstation – Art from Art Centres has been a long time in the works.
The pair first collaborated on their joint Salon des Refusés project in 2013, which has taken place annually since to showcase works submitted, but not accepted, into the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. (The 2024 Salon exhibition was held in the new gallery space as a pop-up.) Salon Arts Projects was then launched in 2018, with a suite of exhibitions taking place each year in August.
Ward says, having worked together on countless exhibitions, merging was a natural next step.
“We’ve both sort of outgrown our spaces, and one of the things this collaboration has given us is this ability to do shows that we wouldn’t normally get to do in our own space,” he says.
“I think, having done that for so long now, we realise that a bigger space is what we both needed. The larger space will also allow us to do bigger projects that we haven’t been able to take on up until now.”
Longtime collaborators and friends, Ward and Johnstone have constructed a solid foundation to take the project further. They approach their work with a can-do attitude and share the load when it comes to challenges, often brought on by their desire to say yes to things – even if it causes them more work.
“We don’t say no, but that’s kind of why we keep pushing boundaries,” Johnstone says.
“What people may not realise is the amount of time we spend on the phone to each other … we are constantly backwards and forwards and being completely clear and transparent. There’s limited ego – if at all! – and so there’s a freedom to be able to throw out ideas even if they are crazy.”
Not only is it the communication and transparency between the two that’s been firmly established, but it’s also the relationships they have built over the years with First Nations Art Centres.
“It’s our pre-existing relationships with Art Centres that’s made it successful. I think Art Centres realise that us collaborating is a strength, and so we’ve been able to secure pretty spectacular shows due to that. So, that feeds the success in some ways,” Ward says.
Together and independently, the two have done the critical work to build the trust in their relationships with Art Centres, so artists feel respected and seen. This understanding and trust connection has built momentum and interest from Art Centres around the country, and shows no signs of slowing down.
“That seems to be coming more and more, to be honest. Probably in the last two to three years, the calibre of the exhibitions being offered is mind-blowing … it’s exciting,” Johnstone says.
“We want artists to be able to come up and be proud. We want to be able to celebrate their culture and their Country and their stories, and we are limited in [our existing] smaller spaces.
“[At the new gallery], we’ll have video projectors where we can put Country on the screens, it’s a lot more immersive, a lot more interactive, making sure that the artists are at the forefront – it’s not about us, we’re in the shadows.”
With the support of their hard-working team, Elly Baldwin and Roslyn Orbegoso – whom Ward and Johnstone both acknowledge greatly for the success of the transition – the hard work is almost done. Since closing the doors to Paul Johnstone Gallery earlier in the year, the space has been transformed into a barber shop, and the existing Outstation – Art from Art Centres in Parap, where it has been since 2010, will close in the coming months.
The new location places Outstation Gallery in close proximity to the new Northern Territory Art Gallery and the Larrakia Cultural Centre, both set for completion next year, and Midpul Art Gallery at CDU. It also very much adds to the visitor experience to Darwin Waterfront, placing beautiful original art works smack-bang in the thick of the action.
But take note – if you’ve plans to take a dip at the Waterfront before or after you check out some sweet, sweet art, both say they just have one rule in place.
“No budgie smugglers!”
INFO outstationgallery.com.au
Header: Gwenneth Blitner, 'Long Billabong' (detail), 2019, acrylic on canvas, 68x120cm. Photo Fiona Morrison
