Art exhibition claims opening distinction at the Railway Goods Shed

While Toowoomba artist Dan Elborne would rather the spotlight shine on his creative work, he can add a significant personal and civic milestone to the success of his latest exhibition.

Mr Elborne’s Deathgate exhibition has the distinction of being the first official function to be staged at the recently opened Toowoomba Railway Goods Shed.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio recently presented a certificate to Mr Elborne to record the significance of his poignant exhibition.

Mayor Antonio said the art exhibition was one example of how Council envisaged the facility would be used.

“I’m pleased to see that within weeks of the opening of the $10 million rejuvenation project that was jointly funded by the State Government and Toowoomba Regional Council, Dan has welcomed several hundred people to the opening event,” Mayor Antonio said.

“Council anticipated that the facility would be an ideal location for mixed use community events, functions and trade shows.

“A facility of this size offers new business development opportunities and also promises to host events that will draw visitors to the region.

“Council’s plans to upgrade the Railway Parklands north of the Railway Goods Shed and our wider plans to aid private investment across the Priority Development Area will ensure this area adjoining the CBD will be a central focus for a wide range of new activities.

“Council has around eight confirmed functions scheduled at the site in the coming months.

“While some of these have yet to be announced by the respective organisers, they include a range of dinners, conferences, trade shows and festivals.

“Council will host a youth conference later this year and a workshop will be staged during this year’s 70th Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers celebrations.”

“Council will host the Queensland Community Development Conference in October and a photographic workshop hosted by Canon will be staged during this year’s 70th Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers celebrations.”

Mr Elborne said he was partly inspired to create the artwork having previously made work responding to his visit to Sachsenhausen memorial and museum in northern Germany several years earlier.

“I imagined how I might portray or creatively respond to the atrocities committed at the concentration camps. I felt that elements of scale, time and labour were essential,” Mr Elborne said.

“The laborious, almost robotic task of creating 1.3 million clay pieces over 1242 days corresponded with the time that mass killing occurred at the Auschwitz concentration camp network during World War II. (The two exhibition beds represented the 1.1 million people who died at the Auschwitz camps and 200,000 survivors).

“The coloured ceramic stones have an anonymous quality, reflecting the loss of identity and inhumane treatment of the prisoners.”

Mr Elborne said until he knew about the availability of the Railway Goods Shed he was unsure exactly where he would display Deathgate.

“I started with 18 tonnes of raw material, which reduced to 13 tonnes of material after the ceramic pieces were fired,” Mr Elborne said.

“I moved the pieces into the Railway Goods Shed in 13 one tonne grain bags.”

A cylinder made from the kiln dust is expected to be placed on permanent display at the Railway Goods Shed to mark the exhibition’s place in history.

Mr Elborne said he was working on ideas for his next project and he hoped Deathgate would be displayed at other venues.

Enquiries about the hire of the Railway Goods Shed can be directed to Council by calling 131 872.

Caption: Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio acknowledges Toowoomba artist Dan Elborne’s exhibition, Deathgate, as the first event to be held at the Toowoomba Railway Goods Shed.