It’s encompassed painting, drawing, sculpture, multimedia and live installations – every form of contemporary and traditional art, while at the same time opening up spaces rarely utilised or even entered by most people in Ballarat.

Not the least of these is the massive area of the former bacon and smallgoods factory on Eureka Street, the George Farmer building.

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Art critic and PhD candidate in art history and theory at Monash University David Wlazlow reviewed the venue and the Biennale overall, saying, “the George Farmer building, an old meat curing factory, is perhaps the most consistently engaging venue (in BOAA).”

He went on to write the entire biennale was a refreshing and optimistic take on the contemporary art experience, making good use of the city as a backdrop, and alleviating his initial reticence about yet another arts festival.

“Sometimes I get the feeling that an exhibition organiser is trying to lead me somewhere, to suggest and influence at a distance, through the artworks. It's often an uncomfortable experience, and BOAA seems to avoid it.

“The relaxed curatorial framework enables these works to speak for themselves in a way not often seen in such large exhibitions. Artists and works retain diverse material approaches and genres across BOAA's many disparate locations and buildings.”

One person exhibiting in the space is Daylesford’s Kim Percy, a visual artist working in photographic-based artwork.

She and other artists are having a closing celebration on Sunday at the George Farmer building, recognising the unique experience both the venue and BOAA in general has offered them.

Ms Percy said the chance to meet and exhibit with a large number of other recognised artists in a venue made her feel part of a larger community of artists in Australia. 

“I felt I was part of a much larger picture, which was amazing,” Ms Percy told The Courier.

“Whenever I went into the George Farmer I spent time chatting with the people who were coming through about their experiences, and explaining what my work was about. Also I met amazing artists, really lovely people doing fabulous stuff; some people I knew, some I didn't. It was a really great connecting time for me.

Kim Percy says working in the George Farmer building influenced the style of art she made for the biennale.

The Biennale of Australian Art closes on Tuesday November 6 with a party in the grounds of St Andrew’s featuring Ballarat’s own Stella Savy, from 5pm.

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