CIRCLING THE VOID
When All That is Left is Love.
An exhibition of sculpture, works on glass, and large drawings
They’ve never met. Yet these two artists come together in the upcoming exhibition, Circling the Void: When All that is Left is Love. Bronwyn Ward lives and works on Wurundjeri Country; Sally Miller also lived locally in Badger creek. Sally passed away seven years ago and she made these works in her last months, while experiencing the degenerative disease of multiple systems atrophy (MSA). Bronwyn’s contributions are a response not only to Sally’s last work, but also a continuation of her own study of death, dying and the space left behind.
In Sally’s series of nine exquisite pencil drawings, each piece addresses an element of her experience in life and in dying. As she faced death, she let her drawings speak for her: an illumination of her experience better expressed with symbols than with words. This series is on loan to YAVA Gallery & Arts Hub and has formed the basis for this exhibition: a communication between the living and the dead, an articulation of love, in great detail and with profound sensitivity.
Bronwyn’s art practice has long examined the taboo of death, and asks how we might approach it together. This collection of her work uses her recurring motif of the starlings’ murmuration as a vehicle to express the protection of company. Also, her explorations pursue ideas of loss within family and how this translates to a deep questioning of identity and purpose.
Bronwyn has worked as a Complementary Therapist, as well as being an artist. She is well placed to combine her empathic understanding of grief and bereavement with her skill in making feelings manifest as art. Bronwyn’s works are composed of mixed media, paper and glass; in Before I Die… she invites viewer participation – paper birds inscribed with visitors’ words will constitute an evolving installation, as well as being gathered and saved towards a larger, future work.
Both Bronwyn and YAVA Gallery are aware that the nature of this exhibition may elicit a deep response in the viewer. It is their hope and intention that the beauty and sensitivity of the works communicate the importance of finding connection in grieving and loss. YAVA offers sincere gratitude to the Miller family for the loan of Sally Miller’s work, and is honoured to show it in this exhibition.
Words crafted by Sarah Stewart in collaboration with David Miller, Bronwyn Ward & Dakini Maddock.
Artists: Bronwyn Ward and Sally Miller
Curator: Dakini Maddock
Exhibition dates:
Thur 30 June - Sun 24 July 2022
Gallery Hours:
Wednesday-Sunday 10am-4pm.
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