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Current Exhibitions

She Who Persists

  • May 2024 - April 2025


    Historically textiles and craftwork were largely regarded as a form of domestic ‘women’s work’, which refers to the often undervalued, unpaid jobs and chores stereotypically associated with, or assigned to women. However, feminist discourse and the inclusion of textile art into the contemporary arts sphere has led to a new appreciation for textile works made by women

    Statistics show almost half (45%) of Australian women have experienced a mental health challenge at some point in their lifetime. Both within and outside of cultural and artistic institutions there are compelling examples of how women have found solace, healing, self-expression and connection through craft and textile-based practices

    Spanning over 70 years, She Who Persists shares artworks and stories of women’s mental health experiences and the innovative, creative, and resourceful ways they have engaged with craft and textiles to manage and persevere through adversity and challenges

    Including works rarely shown from the Cunningham Dax Collection, She Who Persists showcases the power of tactile activities to provide a means of stress reduction, self-expression and connection with others, which can help to support mental wellbeing amidst challenging times. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in the intricate tapestry of women’s experiences with mental health

    Exhibiting Artists: Sonia Agosta, Violet Billman, Jessie Brooks-Dowsett, Romy Dwosh, Carol Frieling, Emily Fitzsimons, Edith Agnes Harrington, Barbara Joyce, Chantal Larante, Robyne Latham, Eva Marks, Daniel McKenzie, Carol Maxwell, The Bridge Group and Esmé Sky Walker

   

The Anxiety Project

  • Exhibiting Artists: Betra Fraval, Erika Gofton, Ilona Nelson, Jacqui Stockdale, Sarah Tomasetti

    9 September 2024 - 28 November 2024

    The Anxiety Project brings together five Melbourne-based professional artists with an interest in how art practice interacts with a lived experience of anxiety. Initially displayed at The Art Room in Footscray, The Dax Centre is honored to present the second iteration of the exhibition to further explore how anxiety manifests and operates within the creative process. Within this exhibition, Fraval, Gofton, Nelson, Stockdale and Tomasetti illuminate the complexities of anxiety, from its unrecognized presence to its management and ongoing impact on artistic practice. The artists invite viewers to traverse the emotional landscape they've crafted, prompting reflection on the role of art in both healing and as a source of anxiety itself.   

    The life of an artist is a constant uncertainty: from the blank canvas and creative blocks to unemployment and scrutiny. Art is not a choice; it is a calling. The connection with one’s practice is a personal, non-verbal dialogue with materiality. And, in essence, while anxiety creates hurdles to this path, it also serves as fertile ground. Despite the challenges of being an artist, art offers a profound healing power and can be a motivating force.   

    Anxiety is the most prevalent mental health condition in Australia, with one in six Australians experiencing anxiety in their lifetime. Many people have found engaging in creative activities can be valuable in managing anxiety and improving mental wellbeing. This exhibition aims to create a lasting impact on how anxiety is understood, managed, and transcended within the creative community. 

‍Artwork: Jacqui Stockdale, Finished, 2006, oil on linen, 35 x 41cm, courtesy of the artist.

The Anxiety Project exhibition review