Liam Benson: Noble Savage + Tully Arnot: Trace Etc

Overview

This double bill is a March must-see. Contemporary performance artist Liam Benson documents and exhibits his work through photography and video, and this exhibition, Noble Savage, seeks to examine the anxieties surrounding Australian cultural identity through the lens of a "privileged white male of Anglo-Celtic heritage with a queer awareness". Through this, he unravels the evolving state of 'White Australia' by confronting its inherent complexities and through the dichotomy of cultural anxieties. Just look at the above shot, which contrasts the headwear of the KKK and Liam’s delicate embroidery work, using bridal tulle, diamantes and pearls. It's called The Terrorist.

Tully Arnot won last year’s inaugural NAB Private Wealth Emerging Artist Award, so is currently in high demand. In Gallery 2 you'll find his highly anticipated solo exhibition, titled Trace Etc, which continues his exploration of the value of our relationships with non-sentient forms, and how these feed into our capacity to interact meaningfully with one another. For example, he will be exhibiting a series of solar-powered green straws that look like weird moving blades of grass in a meadow.