Christopher Zanko is included in The Home at Hazelhurst Regional Gallery.
The Home takes its name from the magazine of the same name, which featured in Art Deco from the National Collection. Published between 1920 and 1942 it focussed on modern ideas about art and design concerning home furnishing and fashion and often showcased the work of Australian artists such as Margaret Preston and Harold Cazneaux.
Drawing attention to the everyday beauty of the suburbs around his home in the Illawarra, Christopher Zanko created portraits of houses. His hand-carved surfaces echo the facades of the early and mid-century homes that feature in works that have become a documentation of an ever-changing suburban landscape as original dwellings are replaced by modern constructions.
Sutherland Shire Mayor Councillor Carmelo Pesce said it is fitting that Hazelhurst has become a temporary home for these exhibitions.
'This year we are not only celebrating 20 years since Hazelhurst Arts Centre was established, but as a community the concept of ‘home’ in 2020 has increased in focus and significance,” Mayor Pesce said. “We are incredibly fortunate to have such a fantastic gallery right on our doorstep, as Hazelhurst continues to stage pioneering exhibitions and commission inspiring artworks that are such a drawcard for gallery goers.'
Hazelhurst Curator Carrie Kibbler also welcomed the significance of the exhibitions.
'It’s timely that Hazelhurst is presenting these two exhibitions in 2020, as the year marks a century since the beginning of the Roaring Twenties and the decade that welcomed Art Deco style into fashion,' Ms Kibbler said.
'The original site of the Hazelhurst property owned by Ben and Hazel Broadhurst included an Art Deco styled cottage, which has undergone restoration in recent years, but still stands in the gardens today retaining many of its Art Deco features. In a year of much uncertainly, the home and our shared sense of locality has become more important to us than ever before.'
