Maree Clarke, Women in Mourning 1, 2012. Inkjet print, 120 x 200cm. Courtesy: the artist, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne, and Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, Nowra.

Death Love Art takes you on a journey of cultural and historical acts of mourning and remembering. The passing of a loved one is a poignant tragedy for the living, and the methods of navigating this emotional journey vary from person to person and evolve over time. One way people have found to deal with grief is through art. Some of the greatest art – literature, music, architecture, painting, sculpture – has been inspired when death and love intersect. From ancient rituals to modern-day customs, this exhibition showcases how art has been used to express grief, honour the departed, and celebrate life.

The exhibition delves deep into the relationship between death and art, exploring the various ways artists have used their creative expression to confront and process mortality. From the haunting beauty of 1st Century BC Egyptian funerary portraits, to Ned Kelly’s death mask, to contemporary Australian and international art, the exhibition presents a diverse range of works that illuminate the complexity of human emotions in the face of death.

Exhibited artists include Tony Albert, Vernon Ah Kee, Anna Borghesi, Grace Burzese, Peter Carey, Katthy Cavaliere, T Cázak, Maree Clark, Juan Davila, Samuel Elyard, Anne Ferran, Todd Fuller, Claire Healey and Sean Cordiero, HaHa, Joy Hester, William Kelly, Sally Morgan, Sidney Nolan, Wayde Owen, Christian Schnur, Gary Shead, Frank Short, Luke Styles, Vicki Varvaressos, Toni Wilkinson, Jason Wing, Jiang Zhi and Salvatore Zofrea.

Opening Event: Saturday 9 December, 4 – 6pm.