My work is shaped by conflicting desires associated with place and identity: belonging/alienation, integrity/fragmentation, power/paralysis, autonomy/connectivity. Most recently I am exploring the impact of global and virtual systems on bodily engagement with physical, social and historical environments.
I work with found materials and assemblage using perspectives and methods from science, community development, visual arts, and my parallel role as head of auctions in a local auction house. I am drawn to materials, materiality and material culture as sources of inspiration, approach and material language. My process is open ended, experimental and often absurd. The outcomes are products of the body engaged in quotidian resistance: conditional, sometimes abject, often ritualistic and ephemeral.
In scientific research, experimental outcomes are usually presented to an audience of peers with similar experience and skills; the audience will not only view or critique, but also adopt, adapt and extend both the approach and the final results. In my art practice I look for ways to refine and simplify outcomes, to use readily available materials and tools, and to offer a window into the way ideas were developed. The final works operate as evidence of a creative process and also as an invitation to a diverse audience to test and develop the tactics in their own creative practices, whatever form these may take.
MOST RECENT PROJECT
2024 Reimagination, a social practice work which drew together a diverse group of artists, designers, tradespeople, hobbyists and students to adopt and reimagine objects passed in at auction in Canberra. The aim of the work was to create a space which recognised and supported exchange of diverse perspectives and approaches to what is ‘valuable’. The project culminated in an exhibition and auction of the transformed objects during Craft & Design Canberra Festival, November 2024.
SOLO EXHIBITION
2021 a line of best fit, HDR Season One, ANU School of Art & Design Gallery, ANU
2020 living with a line of best fit, Solstice, Watson
2018 parataxis, Canberra Contemporary Art Space Manuka
2018 hybridity, ANU School of Art & Design Foyer Gallery
2017 my digital’s three-dimensional shadow, Prompt Gallery, ANU
2016 hindsight, Canberra Contemporary Artspace, Manuka
2013 Seven Nights and Seven Days, the Front Gallery, Lyneham
TWO AND THREE PERSON EXHIBITIONS AND PROJECTS
2024 Regenerate, Craft & Design Canberra creative journalling challenge (with Francis Jaye Johnson and Linda Roberts)
2017 Time World, Boisbuchet, Lessac, France (with Alison Moeller and Kate McCambridge)
2016 plaque proportions, installation in various locations with online narrative, Noted Literary Festival (with writer Jordan Morris). Curator Yasmin Masri
2015 small rituals, ANCA Gallery, Dickson (with sculptors Isobel Rayson and Llewellyn McGarry)
2014 in vitro / in vivo, pod Gallery, Lonsdale Street Traders (with sculptor Llewellyn McGarry)
2014 aether, M16 Art Space, Canberra (with sculptors Llwellyn McGarry and Jen Fullerton)
2014 Rinse & Repeat, Canberra Contemporary Artspace, Manuka (with sculptor Isobel Rayson)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 Pin X, ANCA Gallery Dickson
2019 Bounce Back, Belconnen Arts Centre. Curator Lucy Irvine
2019 The Fig Tree, AD Space, UNSW, Sydney. Curator Lucy Chetcuti
2018 works in progress, Arteles Creative Centre, Finland
2018 Papercutz, RED Gallery, Melbourne (curator Kim Wall)
2018 Primer18 Emerging Designers, San Francisco (with Alison Moeller and Kate McCambridge)
2017 Sampler – PhD Research in Sculpture, ANU Sculpture Workshop (curator Paul Hay)
2017 Pin7, ANCA Gallery Dickson (curator Karina Keys)
2017 Random 9, ANU School of Art Foyer Gallery
2016 Canberra Obscura, Ainslie Arts Centre, Canberra (curator Adelaide Reif)
2016 Blaze10: a real sum is a sum of people, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Gorman House. (curator Sara d’Alessandro Manozzo)
2015 Experiments in Time and Space, Photospace, ANU School of Art
2015 sPIN, ANCA Gallery, Dickson (curator Annika Harding)
2015 VanuARTtu, Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Canberra (curator Narelle Phillips)
2014 School of Art Graduation Exhibition, Australian National University
2014 ANU School of Art Drawing Prize Exhibition, School of Art Foyer Gallery, ANU (judges Robert Wellington & Helene Weeding)
2014 #selfie, Canberra Contemporary Art Space Members Show
2014 SiX MiX, pod Gallery, Lonsdale Street Traders
2014 #sculpture, School of Art Foyer Gallery, ANU
2014 Our Garden Suburb, M16 Art Space, Canberra (curator Emily Casey)
2014 Stop, Hama Time, The Money Bin, during the You Are Here Festival, Canberra (curators Yasmin Masri & Sabrina Baker)
2013 LAKESIDE, Tuggeranong Art Centre, Canberra (curator Narelle Phillips)
2013 School of Art Graduation Exhibition, Australian National University
2013 Sculpture in the Street, Downer, Canberra (curator Steven Harrison)
2013 Now and When, Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre, Eden, New South Wales
2013 ANU School of Art Drawing Prize Exhibition, School of Art Foyer Gallery, ANU (judge Barbara Campbell)
2013 Unexpected Intimacies,pod Gallery, Lonsdale Street Traders
2012 ANU School of Art Drawing Prize Exhibition, School of Art Foyer Gallery, ANU
2012 Armageddon,Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Gorman House
2011 ANU School of Art Drawing Prize Exhibition, School of Art Foyer Gallery, ANU
2011 Harvest,CraftACT, Canberra (curator Diana Hare)
2010 frisson,ANCA Gallery, Dickson
2010 Shifting Perspectives,Reid Campus, Canberra Institute of Technology
AWARDS
2024 Recipient, Craft & Design Canberra Creative Journalling Prize
2017 Recipient, Australian Government Research Training Scheme Scholarship
2014 Recipient, University Medal, Australian National University
2014 Recipient, Paul Ross Bambury Award, Australian National University
2014 Recipient, Canberra Contemporary Art Space Residency Award
2014 Finalist, ANU School of Art Drawing Prize, Australian National University
2014 Recipient, Sir John Yeend Honours Scholarship, Australian National University
2013 Recipient, Third Year Public Art Prize, Sculpture Workshop, ANU
2013 Finalist, ANU School of Art Drawing Prize, Australian National University
2012 Finalist, ANU School of Art Drawing Prize, Australian National University
2011 Finalist, ANU School of Art Drawing Prize, Australian National University
2010 Recipient, National Association for the Visual Arts Ignition Award
2010 Recipient, Emerging Artist Support Scheme Award, CraftACT
EDUCATION
Postgraduate level qualifications in visual arts, education and science
ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Research, education, and community development
TEXT & OTHER LINKS
Tina Fiveash and Dierdre Pearce explore ideas beyond death and boundaries, Brian Rope, Canberra Times, 5 April 2021
The Fig Tree catalogue, Lucy Chetcuti, Tributary Projects, 2019.
works in progress catalogue, Arteles Creative Centre, Harminkiro, Finland, 2018
Blaze10 catalogue, Sara d’Alessandro Manozzo, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, 2016
Small Rituals, David Broker, Director, Canberra Contemporary Art Space and editor, CCAS Social Pages, 10 September 2015
ANU SOA Graduating Exhibition 2014 catalogue, James Holland, Gallery Program Coordinator, November 2014
Rinse and Repeat, David Broker, Director, Canberra Contemporary Art Space & editor, CCAS Social Pages, 2 May 2014
ANU SOA Graduating Exhibition 2013 catalogue, James Holland, Gallery Program Coordinator, November 2013
NOW&WHEN catalogue, John Reid, ANU School of Art Environment Studio, November 21013
Whale Fest 2013: Artists interpret climate change forecast, Sarah Chenhall, Eden Magnet, 1 November 2013
Harvest catalogue,Diana Hare, Curator and Exhibition Manager, CraftACT, February-November, 2011