Gallery exhibition explores collaboration between UniSQ art educators
Published on 02 October 2025
A new art exhibition, Create/Respond, explores collaboration within the contemporary art practices of 11 University of Southern Queensland Visual Arts lecturers, David Akenson, Beata Batorowicz, Peta Berghofer, Linda Clark, Kyle Jenkins, Rhi Johnson, Alexandra Lawson, Amber Manteufel, Alice Rigby, Alex Stalling and David Usher at Crows Nest Gallery from October 8 to November 9, 2025.
This project challenges conventional notions of ownership and creative boundaries, inviting reflection on how individual and collective creativity intersect, overlap, and transform.
Starting with a blank canvas, each artist initiated a visual conversation – making marks, gestures, images, or compositions – deliberately leaving space for others to engage.
These works were exchanged, with participants responding directly to the evolving visual field presented to them, each sheet passing through multiple hands, accumulating layers of aesthetic decisions, intuitive reactions, and conceptual interplay.
The result is a series of works both individual and collective, with traces of each artist visible across the layers — an archive of marks, gestures, and ephemeral dialogue between creative voices.
“Collaboration is risky business; it demands a level of trust and the ability to not overthink every move,” David Usher explained.
“Just get it done, it doesn’t have to mean or say anything, rather it’s an opportunity to rethink how you make art.”
The exhibition’s Meet the Artists event will be held from 11am – 1pm on Sunday, October 12.
For more information, please see: www.tr.qld.gov.au/crowsnestgallery
Enquiries about the exhibition can be directed to Crows Nest Gallery on (07) 4698 1687 or crowsnestart@tr.qld.gov.au
Crows Nest Gallery, at the corner of the New England Highway and William Street is open from 10.30am to 3.30pm Wednesday to Sunday. It is closed on Monday, Tuesday and public holidays.
Image captions:
1. David AKENSON, Beata BATOROWICZ, Peta BERGHOFER, Linda CLARK, Kyle JENKINS, Rhi JOHNSON, Alexandra LAWSON, Amber MANTEUFEL, Alice RIGBY, Alex STALLING, David USHER / Point of difference 2025 / mixed media on paper / 84.1 x 59.4cm / © the artists
2. David AKENSON, Beata BATOROWICZ, Peta BERGHOFER, Linda CLARK, Kyle JENKINS, Rhi JOHNSON, Alexandra LAWSON, Amber MANTEUFEL, Alice RIGBY, Alex STALLING, David USHER / Parallel 2025 / mixed media on paper / 59.4 x 84.1cm / © the artists
3. David AKENSON, Beata BATOROWICZ, Peta BERGHOFER, Linda CLARK, Kyle JENKINS, Rhi JOHNSON, Alexandra LAWSON, Amber MANTEUFEL, Alice RIGBY, Alex STALLING, David USHER / Unknown territory 2025 / mixed media on paper / 84.1 x 59.4cm / © the artists
