A LIGHT installation created for the National Portrait Gallery by artist Jonathan Jones reflects on the importance of community and, with a 1.5-metre diameter, acts as a prompt to maintain social distancing. “Bogong Cluster” is projected in high-traffic areas throughout the gallery. Jones’ design, inspired by his Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi heritage, draws on the phenomenon of the annual bogong moth migration to Ngambri country.

AFTER five years of running the incredibly successful Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry, founder Jacqui Malins is planning to step back later this year, arguing that it’s time for fresh energy and ideas. There will be a meeting in January to discuss Mother Tongue’s future, and anyone wishing to get involved should email mothertonguemic@gmail.com.

GALLERY Bodalla has re-opened following a year of struggle through fire and pandemic, with a collection of portraits, landscapes and works inspired by the theatre by New Zealand-born artist Justin Pearson. “Bitter Sweet Melody”, at Gallery Bodalla, Old PO Building, Bodalla, until February 14 Thursday to Sunday 11am-4pm and by appointment to 0421 238174 or gallerybodalla@gmail.com.

REJOICING in the “civilised pleasure and mind-expanding challenges” of running the ANU Drill Hall Gallery, director Terence Maloon has announced that the position of curator of the University Art Collection, vacated by David Boon last January, was filled by Oscar Capezio, who has already adorned the new Research School of Social Sciences with artworks.

“BRAVE-Bottomed Wombat” is the wonderful title of a new children’s book by author, food stylist and recipe writer Jody Vassallo from Tilba, who experienced the black summer fires not just as a resident but also as an RFS volunteer. “Kids would always ask me about the animals,” Vassallo says. “The only animals I’d seen were so badly affected by the fires, I didn’t know how to answer positively.” The book, her 41st but her first-ever children’s book, is illustrated by Cara King and will help raise funds for the Firesticks organisation. Available here, $30.

FROM the Canberra light rail schedule to eclipse cycles, Anna Madeleine Raupach’s exhibition “Unequal Hours” intends to appeal to the broader community. It’s a kinetic installation which uses altered clocks to physically represent multiple different timescales and aims to realign our technology-driven sense of time. CMAG, Cnr London Circuit and Civic Square, January 23-May 15.