RMIT fine arts graduate exhibition at The Guildford Lane Gallery

Guildford Lane Gallery ground floor. A beautiful industrial space, featuring the RMIT fine arts (drawing) graduate exhibition. Left - Untitled Landscape by Jacquiline Smith, just visible in the back is Sarah Duyshart's stunning Sieve installation, and to the right is Alice Parker's striking yellow Saturation installation.

Guildford Lane Gallery second floor, featuring Priscilla Ambrosini's Cherished Recollections installation in the centre.

My Partner Gordon chats to Guildford Lane Gallery owner Rob Cripps outside the building.

Last week I was reminded again that no matter how well you think you know this wonderful city, Melbourne always has a well-kept secret up her sleeve!

I discovered the Guildford Lane Gallery last week whilst on my mission to attend as many RMIT graduate design/arts exhibitions as humanly possible. RMIT's Bachelor of Fines Arts (Drawing) graduate exhibition has unfortunately drawn a close now... it was a fantastic exhibition of varied works... but I must say I was equally blown away by the stunning gallery space itself.

The Gallery occupies the first three levels of an beautiful old brick warehouse in Guildford Lane, off Latrobe st in the city, once used as a furniture factory. It's a laneway I had never seen before, nestled in a well hidden pocket of the CBD, and lined with older style industrial buildings almost reminiscent of a New York or Brooklyn streetscape. Talk about untapped real estate! It's also a surprisingly tranquil spot, even though it's only a stone's throw from busy Elizabeth st. Rob Cripps, who has owned the building for 35 years and lives on the top floor, recently decided to transform the lower levels into a gallery... I'm so glad he did!

Anyway, I appear to be gushing (again). The RMIT show itself was also truly gush-worthy... images and details below.

Detail from Sophie Perillo's Shadowland paper cut-out installation

Priscilla Ambrosini's Cherished Recollections (sorry, so washed out, have finally fixed my camera settings today!)

The deep audio from Sarah Duyshart's Sieve installation could be heard throughout the gallery space. The slowly falling flour grains were mesmerising to watch. I found this video about the piece on U tube.

Works on paper by Jacquiline Smith from her ink and sand series

Chloe Vallance's tiny painted figures adorn various timber offcuts. She also exhibited a fantastic selection of large sketched portraits on board.

A delicate assemblage of tiny portraits and other sketches by Elyss McCleary and Rebecca Bladens.

A closer view of Rebecca Bladens' tiny portraits in ink, watercolour and wax

The Guildford Lane Gallery
20-24 Guildford Lane
Melbourne 3000

Open Wed-Fri 12-9 / Sat-Sun 12-5