Aerie exhibition - a celebration of the histories of the Wentworth Falls School of Arts and MAPBM

An exhibition by Modern Art Projects Blue Mountains, Aerie celebrated the social and cultural history of the Wentworth Falls School of Arts and MAPBM’s own history of contemporary art making.

Aerie exhibition details:

Friday 29 August to Sunday 14 September 2025

Wentworth Falls School of Arts, 217-219 Great Western Hwy, Wentworth Falls NSW 2782

‍Curator: Cassandra Hard Lawrie

‍Artists: New works: Fiona Davies, Tom Isaacs, Sean O’Keeffe, Naomi Oliver, Katya Petetskaya and Alan Schacher (with Sam James)

Selected works from previous MAPBM exhibitions: Beata Geyer, Anne Graham (with Boris Hunt), Eloise Maree, Peachey & Mosig, Rebecca Waterstone

‍Opened by Blue Mountains Deputy Mayor Cr Romola Hollywood on Sunday 31 August

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Full Public Program

Events held during the Aerie exhibition:

2:00pm Sunday 31 August 2025:
Exhibition opening (past event)

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5:30pm Friday 5 September 2025:
MAPBM Seminar with Douglas Kahn: Solarception: Not seeing blue in a second sense in the eye (past event)

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2:00pm Saturday 6 September 2025:
‍Aerie Exhibition Curator/Artist Talk and Live Performance by Katya Petetskaya (past event)‍

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2:30pm Sunday 7 September 2025:
MAPBM Presents: Light & Mirrors - a live performance by Katya Petetskaya (past event)

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3:00pm Saturday 13 September 2025:
MAPBM Presents: MAP Art & Architecture Nexus (past event)

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11:00am Sunday 14 September 2025:
MAPBM Presents: the Living Stories of Wentworth Falls School of Arts (past event)

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1:00pm Sunday 14 September 2025:
MAPBM Presents: No Place to Call Home? - a Tale of Three ARIs, followed by the Aerie finissage (past event)

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Upcoming Aerie-related event:

7:30pm Saturday 18 October 2025:
MAPBM Presents: Performances by Chris Caines and Gail Priest

NOTE CHANGE OF DATE

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About Aerie

Aerie parallelled the anthropological, social and material cultural history of the Wentworth Falls School of Arts with MAPBM’s own history of contemporary art making and exhibiting. Six MAPBM member artists developed new works that explored the activities and usages of this historic Arts and Crafts building which was designed by Herbert Dennis since it was built in 1914-15. The exhibition also presented five past works of artists that have been in MAPBM exhibitions within other historic buildings in the Blue Mountains.

Aerie shone a light on the extensive heritage of the region and how community buildings have supported its social and cultural fabric. The exhibition drew on the idea of community groups without their own walls nesting in these communal spaces. As an artist run initiative (ARI) without a dedicated space, MAPBM has relied on community resources to hold exhibitions and present its member’s work to the public.

Similarly, the Wentworth Falls School of Arts has been the temporary or longer-term venue for a surprising myriad of activities, and has often been the first venue for artists, musicians and performers to present their early career exhibitions, plays and concerts. Like an aerie’s or a nest’s capacity to aid in the nurturing of the young before flight, the Wentworth Falls School of Arts has provided a launching pad for many an emerging creative.

Aerie also complemented the reopening on 30 August 2025 of the School of Arts theatre after a major refurbishment undertaken by Blue Mountains City Council.

MAPBM would like to thank the exhibition curator Cassandra Hard Lawrie and the six MAPBM member artists, Fiona Davies, Tom Isaacs, Sean O’Keeffe, Naomi Oliver, Katya Petetskaya and Alan Schacher who developed new works for Aerie, as well as the artists Beata Geyer, Anne Graham, Eloise Maree, Peachey & Mosig, and Rebecca Waterstone whose works from previous shows also formed part of the exhibition.

MAPBM would also like to thank Council for the opportunity to participate in the School of Arts’ relaunch and also the Blue Mountains City of the Arts Trust which supported Aerie through a grant.

While our history is shorter than that of the School of Arts, in the past 12 years MAPBM has held 50 exhibitions, performances and other events, many of which have been held in historic buildings across the Mountains. Aerie celebrated this history, as well as the significant contribution of Wentworth Falls School of Arts in fostering the cultural life of the Blue Mountains.

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The Aerie Exhibition room sheet and Aerie Exhibition Catalogue now available, and if you have attended the exhibition or an Aerie event we'd be grateful for your feedback via our online survey form.

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Image: Naomi Oliver, Thresholds 2025. Video still

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