Hope in the Dark

Overview

With its latest exhibition, Gertrude Contemporary set out to capture the messy, unprecedented craziness 2020 has thrown our way, pulling together a collection of recent works from a lineup of local artists. Titled Hope in the Dark, the show came to life in late-March in an unconventional format — an ever-evolving, street-facing exhibition that could be viewed from outside the Fitzroy gallery's windows.

Now, the venue has announced it'll open its doors from Thursday, July 23, when visitors will be able to catch the show from inside the gallery spaces for the first time. Featuring pieces from names like Amrita Hepi, Sarah Brasier and Kiron Robinson, Hope in the Dark serves up a multi-faceted reflection on a world in lockdown mode. Expect installations embracing ideas of anxiety, confusion and vulnerability, threaded with a much-needed dose of humour — from a weathered playground slide suspended ominously from the ceiling for Lewis Fidock and Joshua Petherick's piece Tongue, to Simon Zoric's tongue-in-cheek neon work.

Top image: Christian Capurro