The Newcastle Art Gallery Youth Advisory Group acknowledges the Awabakal and Worimi people as the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and live, and pay our deepest respects to Elders past, present and future. The Youth Advisory Group is dedicated to honouring the culture and traditions of our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through the visual arts.
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Y2C
Sculpture
SOFT NOT FRAGILE
If you had to create an object that represents your human experience, what would it look like? Throughout history, sculpting materials were hard and often fragile. Yet the 20th century birthed a new term, ‘soft sculpture’, opening this artform to endless possibilities.
Sharing their thoughts on the gallery collection, emerging artists Jaimie Carpenter, Tegan Kinder and Jasmine Miikika Craciun have harnessed this limitless medium, creating pieces that reflect their life journey, connect with others and narrate purposeful messages.
Curated by Nicole Klaer
Videography by Wanjun Carpenter
Collection
Louise WEAVER Golden snipe 2010 hand crocheted lambswool over taxidermied Australian Snipe, Australian red cedar, cotton perle crochet thread, cotton embroidery thread, felt and gold leaf 26.5 x 22.5 x 16 cm Les Renfrew Bequest 2010 Newcastle Art Gallery collection © Courtesy the artist and Darren Knight Gallery
Abdul-Rahman ABDULLAH The men who sold lies 2018 carved wood, painted 123 x 113 x 21.5 cm Purchased through the Gil Docking Bequest 2019 Newcastle Art Gallery collection © Courtesy the artist
“AT FIRST GLANCE, THIS PIECE APPEARS TO BE SOMETHING THAT IT ISN’T, MUCH IN THE SAME WAY AS LYCETT’S PAINTINGS.” — J. CARPENTER.
Rosalie GASCOIGNE Flora Galop 1976 found wooden cabinet, wood frame, shards of china and hand coloured engraving, glue and screws 43 x 36 x 10 cm Purchased by Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation 2013 Newcastle Art Gallery collection © Rosalie Gascoigne/Copyright Agency, 2022
“THIS PIECE HAS A ROMANCE ABOUT IT THAT DREW ME IN IT FEELS LIKE AN OFFBEAT LOVE LETTER TO SPRING.” — T. KINDER.
Alex SETON Paper Armada 2015 Bianco Carrara marble Installation dimensions variable Purchased with the assistance of the Les Renfrew Bequest, Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation, Newcastle Art Gallery Society and public donation 2018 Newcastle Art Gallery collection © Courtesy the artist and Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney/Singapore
“WHAT I LOVE ABOUT ALEX SETON IS THE WAY HE CAN COMMUNICATE ENORMOUS AND DIFFICULT TOPICS IN A MINIMALIST AND PRECISE MANNER THAT TOUCHES YOU SO DEEPLY.” — J. M. CRACIUN.