“It’s always been a great thing, and leaves stuff like the fucking Archibald for dead,” exclaims artist Robin Wallace-Crabbe.
The sentiment perfectly sums up the 8 x 8 art show, which opens on August 8th for its tenth(ish) show in 41 years. 8 x 8 is an uncurated exhibition that’s all about amateurs and professionals alike coming together to have fun and share “gr8″ work.
Want to submit a painting? Anything goes, provided it’s 8×8 inches in size. A 3D artwork can be 8x8x8. They’ll even take music, whether it be 88 beats per minute, 8 minutes long, or simply just 8 notes.
“Anyone can and does contribute: under 8s to over 80, there’s no judgement on the work at all,” says organiser Darryl Tilson.
8 x 8 was started in the Gippsland region in the early 70s by esteemed artist Trevor Vickers, and soon after attracted the interest of the likes of Mike Brown, Rodney Manning, and Colin McKellar. From there it grew, with events held in Melbourne’s National Gallery School and the Victorian College of Arts, and all the way up to Wollongong in New South Wales.
Over the years, submissions have been made to the exhibition from Thailand, China, New Zealand, and all across Australia. It’s an incredible feat, considering that the show is, non-funded, not-for-profit, and relies mostly on word of mouth to appeal to interested artists.
One of these artists is Natalie, a supporter of 8 x 8 since its inaugural show. She turns 80 on the 8th of the 8th, and will be contributing once again this year.
8 x 8 is an important event for creatives of all backgrounds to have their work shared in an open, communal environment where criticism is checked at the door, and an exhibition which is supported by some of Australia’s truly great artists.
Submitted work will be hung on the 7th and 8th of August, so there’s still time to put something together! Full details about the show can be found here.
Art lovers can check out the exhibition between August 8th and the 22nd at:
Dancing Dog Bar
42a Albert St
Footscray, VIC
Enjoy!