By Romy Stephens and Jed Lanyon
The Yarra Ranges’ arts and entertainment industry is slowly returning to a sense of normality, with galleries showcasing the best in local art and cinemas turning on the popcorn machines once again.
Belgrave’s Cameo Cinema reopened its doors last week. The cinema initially closed in March due to Covid-19, before reopening in June and then closing again in July.
Cinema owner Lindy Tamir said it was exciting to see customers walk through the doors again and that the cinema was “super safe.”
“We’re really happy to be open, it’s not about making money, though, we’re just open,” she said.
“We’re quite restricted but we’re hoping in a couple of weeks we will be allowed to have a lot more people in the cinemas.”
“A cinema is actually pretty safe because we’re all facing forward. The auditorium, as opposed to a restaurant, has very tall ceilings, facing forward and is spaced out,”
The cinema is currently operating with a maximum capacity of 20 customers for each of its indoor cinemas and 50 for its outdoor cinema.
Cinema manager Danielle Burgess said staff were working hard to ensure the cinema was Covid-safe, but also to provide “the best experience” for people when they walk through the doors.
“We know that people are overwhelmed, there’s so much Covid-safe stuff everywhere. We’ve basically set up a podium so that people are signing in either by QR code or manually,” she said.
“Then they sanitise and that’s just our way of greeting our people as well because we get a chance to say welcome back.
“Then they’ll head off to the bar and buy what they want and go into the movies.”
Yarra Valley Arts’ Open Studios has returned for spring and is set to be very different from previous years as participating artists show their flexibility in their willingness to try new ways of bringing their studios to the community.
From 14-29 November a virtual group exhibition will be held online, which will showcase works from all artists, providing a taste of what to expect when you enter their virtual studio.
Over three weekends, artists will hold scheduled talks, demonstrations and virtual studio tours artists as visitors can pick and choose which of these appeals the most. Artworks will also be available for online purchase as a way to support the artists as in-person sales have diminished.
Yarra Valley photographer Suzanne Phoenix is one of the many artists who will take part in Open Studios this year as she continues to showcase the Upper Yarra Valley in fine detail throughout the Covid-19 restrictions
Ms Phoenix has been capturing the unusual, the iconic and the mundane aspects of the Upper Yarra over the last 7 years. But as spring arrived, the colours and flowers of the area became a focus. On daily walks Ms Phoenix explored the same places over and over again when she could only leave from home to exercise.
“‘I find spring to be the most glorious time of year to photograph the Upper Yarra. I adore the camellias, rhododendrons, the jasmine and have long been fascinated with death lilies,” Ms Phoenix said. “So lockdown gave me a chance to focus in great detail and take a deep dive into the life and death of flowers.”
TarraWarra Museum of Art will reopen, following strict Covid-19 lockdowns, on 28 November with Looking Glass: Judy Watson and Yhonnie Scarce.
TarraWarra Museum of Art director Victoria Lynn said, “We are absolutely delighted to be reopening our doors with an exhibition of works themed on the monumental elements of earth, water, fire and air by Aboriginal artists Judy Watson and Yhonnie Scarce.
“The pairing of Watson and Scarce brings together two of Australia’s most lyrical and poignant artists whose works present an interpretation of country, where the creation and experience of art is mnemonic for the lived, remembered and inherited history of Aboriginal people.
“Our reopening comes with a few new measures including timed ticketing, capacity limits and increased cleaning regimes, and we will continue to offer online experiences for those who choose not to visit us in person just yet.
“The Museum and the wide expanses of the Yarra Valley are the perfect place to recharge and connect with nature and art, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back,” Ms Lynn said.
The exhibition will include Ms Scarce’s new installation, Cloud Chamber, 2020, featuring one thousand glass yams cascading from above. The work is an evocation of the nuclear test of the ‘Breakaway’ bomb in Maralinga, which sent radioactive clouds across the land of Aboriginal people living in the area.
Ms Watson’s works feature ochres, charcoal and indigo pigments pooled upon washed canvas, revealing Aboriginal histories and following lines of emotional and physical topography that centre on particular places and moments in time.
