Exhibiting artist, Roxy Gallery

In this installation, the artists playfully invite you to contemplate your experience of the exhibition and celebrate the role of watermelon and pumpkins in the Kyogle region. For many in the area, pumpkins and watermelons have come to encapsulate multiple ideas such as; simple pleasures of home gardening and shared meals; the farm to plate ethos; agricultural economies; and creating and continuing of community traditions through the Summerland Giant Pumpkin and Watermelon Festival. 

In The Pumpkin is Present, the artists reference the work of Marina Abramovic, one of the most important conceptual artists of our time. Known for her fearless performance art, often putting her own body on the line, Abramovic’s art frequently includes audience participation and typically uses spectacle to create moving (sometimes distressing) artworks that explore stillness, power, contemplation and human encounters. 

Taking cues from Abramovic's iconic three-month long performance The Artist is Present (2010), where audience members of MoMA New York, were invited to sit with the artist sharing a moment gazing directly into each other’s eyes in a rare act of intimacy between strangers in our fast-paced world. In Counting the Rice (2014 – ongoing), Abramovic invites gallery visitors to engage in the simple act of counting grains of rice, to focus the mind, reflect on simple rituals and experience meditation through a repetitive task. 

With The Pumpkin is Present, Roxy Gallery encourages visitors to enjoy a moment of humour and stillness, while reflecting on the personal and broader impact of community events such as the Giant Pumpkin and Watermelon Festival. Visitors can participate by taking a moment to stare into the googly eyes of a pumpkin or by sorting and counting pumpkin seeds.  

These tongue-in-cheek artworks are designed to be enjoyed through participation.