(An Exhibition of artists who studied art in the early-mid 1980s at the Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education, now Deakin University).
ARTISTS TALK !7 DECEMBER
https://events.humanitix.com/locating-art-what-is-site-specific
Exhibition Dates: 7 January -1 February 2026
Closing drinks Saturday 31 January 6pm-8pM
“Ghost Ships: Memory Sites, Memory Traces”
(An Exhibition of artists who studied art in the early-mid 1980s at the Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education, now Deakin University).
Exhibition Dates: 7 January -1 February 2026 (Closing drinks Saturday 6 -8pm 31st of Jan)
GHOST SHIPS: MEMORY SITES, MEMORY TRACES
5 January – 1 February 2026
Closing Event: Saturday 31 January, 6–8pm
F Project Gallery, 224 Timor St, Warrnambool
(Wednesday–Sunday: 10am–4pm)
F Project is pleased to announce Ghost Ships: Memory Sites, Memory Traces, an exhibition bringing together artists who studied at the Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education (WIAE) during the early to mid 1980s—an era when the “art school” model played a defining role in shaping creative practice in regional Victoria. Now part of Deakin University, WIAE left an enduring legacy on the many artists who passed through its studios, and this exhibition celebrates the impact that university Art education can have on a community and beyond.
Featuring new works by Leon Melis, Francis van der Mark, Peter Clayfield, Sarah Austin, Jock O’Connor, Robyn Burgess, Peter Johnstone, Martin Quinlan, Megan Finnigan, Phil Alldis, Kathryn McKinnon and Rob McIntyre, the exhibition invites each artist to respond to the exhibitions title alongside the challenge to think beyond the conventional gallery wall.
The exhibition title, drawn from the 1984 song “Ghost Ships” by The Saints, aims to reflect the post punk ethos that existed in Warrnambool during the 1980s and acknowledge the thriving music scene. So many bands played at local venues such as the Lady Bay hotel, and the Criterion Hotel created a basement wine bar which became a known art student hang out. Gunditjmara country, including the Hopkins River and Tower Hill, helped form an energetic backdrop to the WIAE art school experience. These memories, entwined with the landscape of the region and the diverse interests of students at the time, continue to inform the creative lives of the artists involved.
Initially conceived through an Expression of Interest process, the project encouraged participating artists to reflect on specific sites in or around Warrnambool with personal or artistic resonance. While the logistical challenges of working directly in specific sites proved complex, the resulting works—presented in the main gallery at F Project—offer a platform for considering how place, memory, and artistic process intersect.
Ghost Ships: Memory Sites, Memory Traces not only reflects on shared histories but also contributes to ongoing conversations about the value of university-level art education in the region. Each iteration of alumni-driven projects helps renew efforts to support and encourage creative learning opportunities in Warrnambool.
Curated by Sean Loughrey (2025)
For further information, please contact F Project. (This exhibition is supported by Deakin University with the assistance of the Eric Ormond Baker Charitable Fund).
224 Timor St, Warrnambool, (Wednesday – Sunday: 10AM – 4PM)