Encounter & Immersion: A Dual Exhibition by Denise Ferris and Ruth Waller

Photographer Denise Ferris and painter Ruth Waller from the ANU School of Art feature in an exhibition opening on 9 April at the Yo-Chang Art Museum of The National Taiwan University of Arts.

The exhibition, Encounter & Immersion, is Ferris and Waller’s first exhibition in Taiwan, and it presents the opportunity to consider their work side-by-side. In doing so, the exhibition highlights the artists’ shared understanding of environment and the natural world over the contrast between the formal qualities of painting and photo-media.

Nature and its exploration is the inspiration for the work in the exhibition, providing a profound insight into the relationship Ferris and Waller have with their surroundings.

Encounter & Immersion is the latest in a series of cultural exchange opportunities between Taiwan and Australia. The National Taiwan University of Arts and ANU in Canberra have recently enjoyed numerous opportunities to exhibit work and share ideas, establishing a creative dialogue between Taiwanese and Australian artists, teachers and students.

In 2014 the ANU School of Art Gallery hosted Art of “Made in Taiwan (MIT)”: The Exhibition of Taiwan Academy of Fine Arts (TAFA) (curated by NTUA professors CHUNG You-hui and LIAO Hsin-tien), an eclectic exhibition of work highlighting the diversity of the arts in Taiwan.

Encounter & Immersion at NTUA continues this exchange, building a connection based around facilitating cultural communication, developing artistic endeavours, and strengthening a strong sense of friendship.