Aerie exhibition celebrates histories of Wentworth Falls School of Arts and MAPBM
29 August 2025
An exhibition by Modern Art Projects Blue Mountains, Aerie celebrates 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, open Friday to Sunday 10am to 4pm
Wentworth Falls School of Arts, 217-219 Great Western Hwy, Wentworth Falls NSW 2782
Curator: Cassandra Hard Lawrie
Artists: Fiona Davies, Tom Isaacs, Sean O’Keeffe, Naomi Oliver, Katya Petetskaya and Alan Schacher (with Sam James) – plus selected works from previous MAPBM exhibitions
Opening by Cr Romola Hollywood, 2-4pm Sunday 31 August
The opening is free, but please RSVP to https://events.humanitix.com/opening-of-aerie-exhibition by Friday 29 August
Curator/Artist Talk and Live Performance, 2-4pm Saturday 6 September
This session is free, but please RSVP to https://events.humanitix.com/aerie-exhibition-curator-artist-talk by Friday 5 September
Further details about the Aerie exhibition public program will be posted shortly.
Aerie parallels 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 have developed new works that explore 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 presents five past works of artists that have been in MAPBM exhibitions within other historic buildings in the Blue Mountains.
Aerie shines a light on the extensive heritage of the region and how community buildings have supported its social and cultural fabric. The exhibition draws 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 will also complement 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 have developed new works for Aerie, as well as the artists whose works from previous MAPBM shows will also form 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 has 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 will celebrate this history, as well as the significant contribution of Wentworth Falls School of Arts in fostering the cultural life of the Blue Mountains.
Image: Naomi Oliver, Thresholds 2025. Video still