“In 2010 I took a residency in Berlin and it was like a professional development opportunity, says Perth artist Rebecca Baumann. "It gave me the time to consolidate and take a step back to look at what I was doing as an artist, to meet with other artists, and to think about what I wanted to create for New11. Berlin was all about New11.”

Known for her colourful installations that often include streamers, confetti, tinsel, smoke, industrial fans and fluorescent lights, Baumman believes New11 will take her work in a new direction, while continuing to build on the themes and imagery she introduced to her art prior to her winning the Spirit of Youth Award (SOYA) in 2009.

“I use a lot of colour in my work. I like to explore happiness and celebration. In Berlin, I tried to get to the core of these things and really explore colour and emotion, and the links between them,” she explains. So expect to see movement in her work.

“My work is often kinetic. I am really drawn to having flux in work and creating something that's always changing. Each viewer sees something different and I find that appealing.”

The other artists on show, from Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, will be Fiona Abicare, Tim Coster, Greatest Hits, Shane Haseman, Mark Hilton, Dan Moynihan, Brendan Van Hek, Justene Williams and Annie Wu.

Baumann has not met with these artists to discuss this exhibition, but she believes the curator, Hannah Matthews, may have identified something their work has in common.

“It may be all about materials," she notes. "All the artists have a strong approach to the way they use materials, so that may be what links us all."

All work in NEW11 was commissioned for the show. Organisers say the outcome will be an exhibition where the uncanny, symbolic, political, historical and comedic can all be found.

New11 is on at ACCA until May 15 2011.

accaoline.org.au