MSSR
Moreton Street Spare Room [MSSR] is a Brisbane artist run project that began as an exhibition program of contemporary Australian art in 2006. The project diverges from conventional institutional exhibition programs to re-contextualise the presentation of contemporary art within an everyday and familiar environment - specifically an old and occupied Queenslander in the suburb of New Farm, Brisbane.
With a focus on installation, video and new media-based practice, MSSR’s exhibition program offers a new and non-traditional exhibition environment to address a lack of exhibition opportunities for artists in Brisbane.
In addition to exhibitions, MSSR aims to connect artists and audiences by providing innovative and accessible platforms for the presentation of contemporary art. To this end, MSSR has hosted screenings of Australian contemporary video art, produced a comprehensive DVD with documentation of artists from the first exhibition program and developed an online resource.
Exposure profiles Queensland contemporary artists on a series of three DVDs released at six monthly intervals. The project has received financial support from the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council.
MSSR consists of Brisbane based artists
Chris Bennie and Nicola Chatham.
Chris Bennie is a contemporary artist and curator. He initiated the Moreton Street Spare Room (MSSR) in 2006. Bennie has held a number of solo exhibitions at ARI’s and University spaces, including Chris Bennie Doctorate of Visual Art Exhibition, Queensland College of Art Galleria and White Box Gallery, MSSR and a roaming campervan, Brisbane; Our Communication Recorded, Blindside, Melbourne (2006); New Video: made in China, Queensland College of Art Gallery, Brisbane (2006); and Slower, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane (2003).
Bennie has participated in many national and international exhibitions, including the Biennale of Sydney: Revolutions – Forms That Turn online venue (2008); Contemporary Australia: Optimism, Gallery of Modern Art,
Brisbane (2008); New Work 3, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, Perth, (2007); and +Plus Factors, Australian Centre of Contemporary Art, Melbourne (2006). He has undertaken a number of residency programs, including the QLD Artworkers Alliance and the State Library of Queensland, Interactive New Media Residency (2007); Transit-Lounge, Berlin (2006); and Shandong College of Art and Design, China (2005).
Bennie’s curatorial practice includes developing the MSSR exhibition program as well as showreels for a number of exhibitions of contemporary video art including The Orebro International Video Art Festival, Orebro, Sweden (2008) and Event One, MSSR, Brisbane (2007).
He studied at the Otago School of Art in Dunedin, New Zealand and the Queensland College of Art in Brisbane, graduating with first class honours in 2002. He recently completed a Doctorate of visual Art candidature at Griffith University.
www.christopherbennie.com
Nicola Chatham gained a Bachelor of Fine Art from the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University in 2005. She now works full time as an artist, freelance writer and co-director of Moreton Street Spare Room [MSSR].
The themes of landscape, travel, intimacy and memory are central to Chatham’s work. She exhibits paintings, photographs and videos regularly in solo and group exhibitions around Australia and internationally. Solo exhibitions include Over the Garden Fence at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery, With or with drought you at Redland Art Gallery, and Today, we don’t have plans at Anita Traverso Gallery in Melbourne. International highlights include the Orebro International Video Festival in Sweden. In 2006 she was awarded the Espresso Garage Award for her video ‘It’s Cutting’ in the Thiess Art Prize.
The State Library of Queensland and the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art published catalogue essays written by Chatham and her artwork is represented in public and corporate collections including the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery. She currently lives in Brisbane, Australia.
www.nicolachatham.com
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