Three artists, three epic train journeys. Three perspectives on what it means to travel across Australia on The Ghan, Indian Pacific and Great Southern. These journeys inspired the works in an exhibition being held throughout August at Adelaide Parklands Rail Terminal in Adelaide, where each of the rail journeys start, end or in the case of the Indian Pacific, pause on their way through.
Presented by Journey Beyond as part of the South Australian Living Arts (SALA) festival, the exhibition is open to the public throughout August on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1-4pm. For rail enthusiasts and art aficionados both in South Australia and beyond, the artworks will be auctioned online, with the majority of the proceeds going to charities nominated by each of the artists.
“Australia’s landscapes are as diverse as they’re vast,” David Donald, Executive General Manager, Rail at Journey Beyond. “The Ghan, Indian Pacific and Great Southern each tell the story of Australia and it’s inspiring to see how three different artists have interpreted that story. I’m thrilled to invite anyone with an interest in art – or train journeys – to come to Adelaide Parklands Terminal to view this outstanding exhibition, or to view the pieces on the auction site, and if they feel a connection to a particular work of art, to bid on it, knowing the proceeds will help other Australians.”
Each artist participating in The Art of Rail has interpreted their train journey in a unique way. Roscoe Shelton is an impressionist artist and travelled on The Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide, across the dusty red earth that characterises central Australia. With a colourful and story-filled career behind him, Roscoe picked up the paintbrush later in life and uses his art to draw you into experiencing a remote reality. Roscoe has nominated Rotary Adelaide as his charity of choice. Rotary Adelaide is part of a global network of 1.4 million leaders and problem-solvers who work with different communities to create lasting change.
Mali Isabel is an Arabana and Kokatha artist, living and practising on Kaurna land (Adelaide). Mali took a summer journey on the Great Southern from Brisbane to Adelaide, gliding past coastal scenery under cloudless skies. Mali creates contemporary dot paintings using all of the colours of the rainbow to spread her message of positivity and equality and encourage meaningful conversations. Mali has nominated The Healing Foundation as her designated charity. The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that provides a platform to amplify the voices and lived experience of Stolen Generations survivors and their families.
Luke Rabl is an artist whose work spans mediums from ceramics to illustration and painting. Themes range from the playful and eclectic to abstract landscape scenes that connect with the viewer on an emotional level. Luke crossed the continent on the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Perth, stopping to dine mid-nowhere under a blanket of stars, using the colour palettes and textural qualities in the Australian landscape witnessed during this journey as his inspiration. Luke has nominated GIVIT, a national not-for-profit organisation that matches generosity with genuine need through an online platform.
“GIVIT is delighted to be involved in the Art of Rail project,” said GIVIT CEO Sarah Tennant. “The needs of vulnerable people across Australia have more than doubled in the past 12 months on the GIVIT platform, due to the rising cost of living or recovery from natural disasters, domestic and family violence or homelessness. We’re so grateful to artist Luke Rabl, along with Roscoe Shelton and Mali Isabel, for supporting the important work we do around the country.”
The Art of Rail exhibition opens at Adelaide Parklands Terminal in Adelaide on 1 August and closes 31 August. The exhibition can be viewed by all Australians via the online auction platform.
