Cook Street Collective is very excited to present BEAT OF THE LAND, an exhibition with a notable selection of contemporary female artists.

The 10 artists came from all states in Australia and were connected through their love of the land and painting.

This exhibition was created in response to a field trip to Ruby Gap, the East MacDonald ranges NT last July. Ruby Gap is a park with a chequered history and was the site of the first mining rush in Central Australia.

In the late 1880s David Lindsay thought he discovered rubies in the bed of the Hale River and hundreds flocked to the site to cash in on European buyers.Two years later it was found that the gems were high grade garnets and not nearly as valuable as rubies. Now Ruby Gap is a remote wilderness where sand glimmers a deep pink.  The place has its own ‘heartbeat’ and has lured many artists to come and feel the magic of the place.

The artists camped in swags under the stars and spent the daysd completely immersed in this landscape. Each artist pushed themselves with this new environment and new materials, having this unique opportunity away from family and being able to be fully present. The outcome was a varied and experimental body of works .

This exhibition is a celebration of each artists unique interpretation of this scared place, the connection to place and each other.