The exhibition Freshwater to Fatbergs will be presented at Newcastle Art Space in 8 May -31 May 2026, supported by Hunter Water.

Exhibition Opening: Sat 9th May 4-6pm 2026 includes acapella performance by local group Mala and guest speakers from Hunter Water including Rhys Blackmore.

The exhibition features work by Todd Fuller, Isabel Gomez, Edwina Richards, Fiona Lee and Ileigh Hellier plus more, curated by Madeleine K. Snow with installation by Tobias Spitzer and coordination by Jennie Williams and Jo Maclean.

The deliberately provocative title is intended to spark curiosity and conversation about water use, water conservation and the pressures facing urban water systems. While freshwater is a precious and carefully managed resource, issues such as fatbergs act as a confronting and highly visible signal of everyday behaviours that undermine water and wastewater infrastructure.

The open call for artists to participate in Freshwater to Fatbergs has now closed - artists were invited to create work that explores freshwater, catchments, wastewater and water futures.

Here is a preview from the catalogue essay written by Madeleine K. Snow for the exhibition:

Freshwater to fatbergs – a project in two waves

The first wave.

The exhibition came about because of a conversation about the imminent demise of a 1960s brutalist piece of architecture at the Hunter water site at Tomago. The name Tomago comes from the Worimi term meaning ‘sweet water.’  The Tomago treatment delivery station was opened by the Premier of NSW in September 1965. In 2025 artists Todd Fuller, Edwina Richards and Isabel Gomez alongside Curator Madeleine K. Snow visited the soon to be demolished delivery station aswell as touring the broader facilities of the Hunter Water site including the heritage listed Spray Basins.

The delivery station was built to treat the Tomago groundwater and the water supplied by the then new Grahamstown dam. It was of its era utilitarian and functional built to do a job which it successfully did for decades. However the original treatment plant had reached the end of its operational life. Its demolition was determined to make way for the regions water treatment needs to grow and modernize.  According to scientist Rhys Blackmore from Hunter Water “in the next chapter for this site- the building will be demolished and replaced with solar panels – its next phase is clean energy infrastructure evolving with the changing region.” Catalogue here for download:

EXHIBITING ARTISTS

Aaron Basei 

Alexandra Tanner 

Andrew Styan 

Anne Gorton 

Catherine Hickson 

Cheryl Watson 

Christine Deards 

Chris Byrnes 

Claus Bredow 

Conor Fox

Dan Nelson

Delores Foxtonfinn  

Diana Boyd and Dianna Kellerman 

Edwina Richards

Emelie Clarke 

Fran Loudon 

Fiona Lee

Hari Ho 

Ileigh Hellier

Isabel Gomez

John Spyrakis

Jonathan Osmond 

Joseph Johnson 

Judith Flowers

Julia Francis 

Leslie Duffin 

Libby Cusick 

Lisa Ellen Hughes

Madeleine Snow

Mahafuj Ali 

Mahalia Leckner 

MaidenK 

Marc Renshaw 

Maybelline Green 

Melanie McKinnon

Michael Weston 

Michela Ciulla 

Moj Habibi 

Otto van de Wijgaart 

Pamela See (Xue Mei-Ling) 

Paul Foley 

Penny Lee 

Pete Parslow 

Rachel Enright

Rebecca Brissenden 

Rebecca Griffiths 

Ron Adams 

Ronald Araña Atilano

Samantha Walsh 

Sigrid  Dyrting 

Simon Pilla 

Stephanie Vella 

Sue Strickland 

Suzie Bailey 

Tara Jones 

The Wahroonga Collaboration, Raymond Terrace 

Tim Nash 

Todd Fuller

Zoë Roxburgh 

FULL LIST OF ARTISTS STATEMENTS A-Z:

ROOMSHEET: artist, title, media, price

INFORMATION FOR EXHIBITING ARTISTS:

Collection of unsold artwork: 3pm – 4pm Sun 31 May or 10am – 2pm Wed 3rd – Fri 5th June 2026 (Artwork must be collected on the collection dates, if you are unable to collect, please send a family member or friend to collect on your behalf. Artwork not collected may incur a storage fee). 

Exhibition Opening: 

Saturday 9th May 4pm – 6pm 

Exhibition Duration: 

Saturday 9th May – Sunday 31st May 

 Artwork Delivery via Courier 

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If you wish to deliver the work via courier freight costs and all other charges relating to delivery and collection of artworks are the sole responsibility of the artist. Artworks will not be accepted unless delivered and returned free of all freight and other charges. 

Please note: Works requested to be returned via post will incur a $15 packing fee + cost of postage. 

By sending your work to us via post or courier you agree to accept these conditions.    

- You MUST use either Australia Post or Startrack Express to send your work as Australia Post may refuse deliveries from other couriers. Please note that the dimensions of your PACKAGED artwork mut not exceed 105cm long or 25kgs. 

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- You must address the delivery to our PO Box address, NOT our physical gallery address: 

Newcastle Art Space 

PO Box 12 Waratah NSW 2298 

Email: gallery@newcastleartspace.org.au Phone: 0490 801 630 

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If you cannot use a PO Box when making the booking, please use this address: 

(The Post Office's physical address): Newcastle Art Space c/- Suite 12, Shop 9 91 Turton Road Waratah, NSW 2298 

-Email us to let us know you are sending the work via courier & include the tracking number if known: gallery@newcastleartspace.org.au  

Work delivered via courier still needs to arrive by 2pm Thurs 16th April 2026. Work delivered after this date may not be accepted into the show.