Birds and Language, curated by Madeleine Kelly

Exhibition:  20 November 2021 – 13 February 2022

Wollongong City Gallery, NSW.

Birds and Language was an exhibition that drew upon works by highly significant Australian artists as well as art from the Wollongong City Gallery (WCG) collection. The works are speculative; they suggest a radically different approach to understanding and presenting the colours, forms, sounds and behaviours of birds and reimagining humanity’s relationship with non-human life.

The exhibition was accompanied by 15-page colour catalogue (print) and my 2800-word critical essay and complemented by substantive multidisciplinary projects: A two-day conference, an online curated exhibition of artists (19—20 August, 2021) and ‘Special Events’ at the Wollongong City Gallery (13 February). From bird dancing and acoustic rhythms to threatened birdsong and languages, birds were considered from important new horizons and perspectives.

Artists: Glenn Barkley, Barbara Campbell, Fernando do Campo, Eugene Carchesio, Ashley Eriksmoen, Emily Floyd, Liam Garstang, Danie Mellor, NOT, Bilinyarra Nabegeyo, Djawida Nadjongorle, Raquel Ormella, Debra Porch, Marie Celine Porkalari, Joan Ross, Laurens Tan, Hollis Taylor, John Tonkin, Jenny Watson, Louise Weaver and John Wolseley

At Home with Painting, curated by Madeleine Kelly

Exhibition: Thursday 7 March – Saturday 20 April 2024

Sydney College of the Arts Gallery, Old Teachers’ College, The University of Sydney.

This exhibition explored the myriad ways of being at home with painting. Are we at home with the act of ‘painting’ (the verb), in the company of ‘Painting’ (the noun) or even constructing a kind of psychological ‘home’ through painting? Why are home and painting so emblematic of our struggles?

Painting, like home, occupies a unique position in our individual and collective psyches—as verb or noun—the promise of familiarity and comfort but perhaps too, lingering in its textures, the strange and uncanny, or even discomfort and threat. Painting can be good company too. To be at home with painting is to explore its crystalline dimensions and these artists do just that.

Artists: Hany Armanious, Amber Boardman, Angela Brennan, Diena Georgetti, Alex Gawronski, Newell Harry, Madeleine Kelly, Spencer Lai, Archie Moore, Jahnne Pasco-White, Lisa Radford, Tim Schultz, Jelena Telecki and Rex Veal.