Lismore Rising: Tougher Than Water

VENUE: 107 Redfern

Chris Lego presents a selection of his recent successful 'Cheap Magic' show and the work of 16 Lismore flood-affected artists in this unique show. One year on from the epic Lismore floods Lego is filling his van with the work of 16 talented artists from the artistic community of Lismore who had their homes and studios devastated by the Lismore floods. Some work went through the flood, some floated on beds and tables and some has been made in the months afterward in a show of tenacity and strength.

The work ranges from badges to paintings, sculpture to ceramics, screenprinted works to collage. It is a showcase of (some of) the immensely talented artists of the region who are still making work in the aftermath of an unprecedented flood which devastated the town, leaving homes and art studios destroyed.
Bodies of work and archives were washed away or discovered in piles of mud in total chaos. The Lismore Regional Gallery and other artistic spaces were inundated in floodwater. People were rescued off roofs by strangers in tinnies or had to choose the moment they had to get out of their homes and studios for their own safety. For some that meant walking away from their art and hoping for the best.

The best case senario rarely eventuated from the floods, as we know. But the flood was the catalyst for a lot of things, sometimes a catharsis of creativity.

The work coming to Sydney shows the resilience of the creative community of Lismore, and one year on is a celebration of the toughness and enduring nature of the creative spirit.

Opening night is the 16th of February at 6pm and the exhibition will be open from the 16th to the 19th of February 11am to 5pm.