Talk at the National Gallery: ‘Friday Lates’

I was invited to give a talk at the National Gallery as part of their Friday Lates programme. It was so special to speak alongside other brilliant artists. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to publicly reflect upon an artwork from the gallery in relation to my own practice. I emphasised the embrace of encountering objects and art without already holding knowledge about them – how appreciating them solely from what they ignite in you is an exciting and valuable venture as well. This was what I did here in the gallery, with the Ercole de’ Roberti diptych that also functioned as an object of personal devotion.

At the end of my talk I also brought out one of my wood pieces ‘A Party, A Funeral’ to read from. Like the diptych, its intimate size also felt small compared to the rest of the work in the room. It felt appropriate to end with this work as it captured my experience of encountering an object of unknown history as well.

Before the artist talks there was a fantastic panel orchestrated by Sarah Jaffray in conversation with Eva Suhajek, Crystal Chia and Erin Adderley to discuss their practice and work created in relation to key aspects of Raphael’s process and subject matter. Again, grateful to Sarah Jaffray, the artists present and the organisers of this memorable evening!