An Ever Expanding Universe

Editorial Review

Ten Australian artists celebrate the infinite wonder and possibility of a cosmos that continues to expand.

Viv Miller, Planetarium 2006 (detail), courtesy of the artist and Neon Parc, Melbourne UBS Art Collection, Brisbane

Editorial Review

11 June - 3 August, 2008
Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA)
Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge

Consciousness expands with the boundaries of the universe as PICA opens a new exhibition featuring the work of 10 Australian artists whose work lends itself to conceptual philosophy and cosmological explanations. An Ever Expanding Universe, curated by Melissa Keys, brings together painters at different stages in their career to explore the traditions and cultures of contemporary Australia.

Perth collaborators Pip & Pop (Nicole Andrijevic and Tanya Schultz) provide a large-scale installation, as does Noel Skrzypczak, who has painted a modern mural directly onto the gallery walls. Senior Yolngu woman Gulumbu Yunupingu paints on bark and logs and represents Australia's Indigenous culture. Tim Johnson embraces spiritual iconography in his dream-like paintings that encompass everything from Egyptian figures and Shinto shrines to Papunya dots and UFOs.

Melbourne artist Nusra Latif Qureshi, who explores contemporary colonialism and the traditions of Mughal miniature painting in her artwork, provides an illustrated talk explaining the direction and logic behind her practice. Also lending their psychological states to An Ever Expanding Universe are Maria Cruz, Lara Merrett, Viv Miller and Ben Pushman. Works in the exhibition are united by a sense of infinite possibility and celebrate the dynamism of artistic practice.

Ryan Lungu