In 1992 the Kennett Government came to power in Victoria with significant electoral success: 66% of the seats in the Legislative Assembly [the “lower” House], and 77% of the seats in the Legislative Council [the House of review]. One of Kennett’s electoral planks had been the reform of the State’s system of municipal government – to place emphasis on microeconomic matters such as “reductions in operating expenditures” and “the efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness of service delivery”. The implementation of policy had initially been voluntary restructuring, but soon became coercive and compulsory.
One outcome of Kennett’s reform was the creation, in 1994, of the local government area, the Shire of Campaspe - established by the forced amalgamation of the city of Echuca, the town of Kyabram, and the shires of Rochester, Waranga and Deakin. Echuca became the hub, and the former municipal functions of the other four areas were centralised or abolished.
Thus, the one-time Kyabram Town Hall [originally the Mechanics’ Institute, until 1954], lost its principal function, and for a while was a lost soul, although functioning for some years as the Kyabram public library (now relocated). This until 2012, when a brave committee secured ownership of the (by now) dilapidated premises from the Shire of Campaspe, and proceeded to renovate the Hall to its present functionality as a public art gallery
As part of the 2014 renovation the original “hall” area of the Town Hall was divided into two: one half retaining the original ceiling, with its series of wooden arches; the other half with a lowered ceiling, modernised and with much improved lighting. So: two discrete and significant display areas.
At the time of our visit the modernised part of the Gallery had an exhibition: Portraits and Caricatures by Victorian painter, Pete Conroy. Conroy’s caricatures are a little more distinctive than his “straight” portraits but, in reality, every picture has an element of caricature. The painting technique is consistent throughout, as is Conroy’s palette. The tonings are invariably bright, and even the caricatures have a happy feel about them. Dare I say that this is admirable, given that Conroy was incapacitated in a surfing accident. The programme note describes him as “a high functioning quadriplegic” who, post tragedy, pursues his full-time painting career from “a hot shed in rural Victoria”. That rural Victoria is nearby Echuca. Pete Conroy can be found on the internet, with images of some hundred paintings for sale, including a number of those that were on show at Kyabram.
The “older” part of the Gallery was occupied by Linda Steele – in Conjunction with Waverley Patchworkers. Linda Steele is a professional patchworker, and her work is extraordinary – not conventional bedspreads with “traditional” patterns, but break-out shapes and designs and colours. “Fabric, colour, thread, embroidery and quilting has been her life since 1997 when she first discovered the joy of making a quilt. It was not long before Linda realised that she was more interested in making quilts as art for the wall rather than a bed cover. Over the years she has designed and made many Applique and Crazy Quilts……a natural progression towards designing and making Art Quilts.” Linda Steele has exhibited widely, including in the USA, France, and China. She has won numerous prizes and awards.
The Linda Steele display was mounted in conjunction with a selection of quilts made by members of Waverley Patchworkers. Waverley Patchworkers is a very active Melbourne group, with over 250 members. My wife, Annie, is a long-time member, a frequent exhibitor at Waverley’s annual shows, and an occasional winner at their judged competitions. A number of her miniature quilts were on display at Kyabram to accompany the Linda Steele display. These were “Art Quilts”, made by each member of a small group to freely reflect a common theme. The themes drawn on for display at Kyabram included Helen Maudsley, Maps, Virginia Cuppaidge, Windows, Gustav Klimt. I have to say, without any prompting, that the Art Quilts of the Waverley Patchworkers were imaginative and superb.
There is a third exhibition space in the former Town Hall, named the Isobel Harvie Room. I’m guessing that this space was the former administrative headquarters of the municipality, now a generous open space with no echo of former offices. This room currently houses a collection of locally-sourced household artefacts enhancing The George Rathbone Collection of naïve art.
The 72 paintings of the Rathbone collection were given to the Shire of Campaspe, and are kept permanently at the Kyabram Town Hall Gallery – although examples are frequently on loan to other institutions. A small sample of Rathbone’s works is currently displayed in the Isobel Harvie Room, and helpfully positioned next to each painting is a full description of the subject matter. The paintings adorn the walls; the rest of the exhibition space - as you can see - is brimming with memorabilia of domestic life in the late 1800s/early 1900s. I accepted with incredulity the fact that this material is not the property of the Gallery or of the Shire, and that it has been sourced by the Gallery manager from local contacts. And has then been expertly displayed! When the current exhibition ends shortly the Rathbone paintings will return to storage, and the domestic memorabilia will be returned to its owners.
Having heard this story I picked up a couple of dinner plates, and saw that there was no label underneath – so I taxed the ladies at the desk: How will the manager know where to return each of the hundreds of items?
Surprised looks: “Oh, she will know.”
This Isobel Harvie Room has a curious recent history, a history not told to me. The ladies at reception during the two days of our visit were unaware of events prior to their involvement (and weren’t asking), and the lady who chairs the committee, and runs the venue, was aware but unwilling to be specific.
In short, this is what I have pieced together. Isobel Harvie was a prime mover in the 2014 resurrection of the Town Hall as a Gallery; and she made available to it her massive and extraordinary collection of historical costumes and accompanying paraphenalia. I am quoting from published sources: “Kyabram Town Hall (re)opened on 7th November 2014 as a Community and Tourist Information Centre; Gallery space for community or visiting artists; and, especially, to provide a permanent home to The Isobel Harvie Collection of Victorian and Edwardian historic clothing. A generous donation of A Stitch Back in Time to the Town of Kyabram, by Isobel and Keith Harvie in March 2013, on the condition that a permanent home could be found for the collection, inspired an enthusiastic group to approach the Shire of Campaspe with the suggestion that the vacant Kyabram Town Hall would be an ideal location to house the collection.”
This duly happened, and there was a subsequent series of Isobel Harvie exhibitions: A Stitch Back in Time [WW1 and ANZAC clothing and memorabilia]; An Edwardian Tea Party [experience the elegance of the Edwardian era]; The Boudoir Collection [a selection of Victorian underwear and sleepwear]; Forever Bridal Collection [more than 100 wedding dresses from the late 1800s to today]; Cherished Memories [all about children’s wear 1900s to present day]; Fabulous Fifties [stepping out of the war years…..]; Masquerade Ball [exhibiting exquisite masks and gowns]; Wonders of Winter [experience the furs, coats, capes, hats from all eras]………this last exhibition held July through November 2018.
Some while after this there was an estrangement. The Isobel Harvie collection was no longer available to the Gallery either by way of gift or by way of loan, and I was told that the collection has likely been sold. Except that the Gallery was able to acquire around 50 display dummies, these for use should the Gallery some day mount an exhibition of clothing – albeit not sourced from Isobel Harvie! One hopes that the new owner of the extraordinary Isobel Harvie collection is attuned to its uniqueness, and that the collection is not broken up.
A sorry story, perhaps, but Gallery management is philosophical. It is all right to move on from the Harvie connection, and the Committee has been able to embrace a busy future programme. And there is a final gracious note: there has not, I am told, been any suggestion that the Isobel Harvie Room should be re-named.
Gary Andrews
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