She see, she feels, she makes

Abstract

She Feels, She Sees, She Makes is a trans-disciplinary conversation being had between six women, three Indigenous and three non-Indigenous, who find themselves coming together for the first time through the commonality of the she aspect of humanity, the feminine. Together, these women explore how this coming together through cultural histories translates to meaningful relationships to country in Australia. Speaking through the mediums of painting, printmaking, sculpture, and photography, this group of artists harness the power of cross-cultural dialogue to explore the nurturing and regenerative powers of the feminine aspect of humanity. This comes as a direct response to current hierarchical systems of power belonging to the patriarch. Here, ideas relating to myth, race, gender, empowerment, ancestry, scarification of country, spirituality, fertility, history, colonialism, ecology, identity, as well as sense of place and belonging through storytelling, are explored through a multitude of motifs, iconography, metaphors and allegories. By translating these social, cultural, political and environmental references into a visual aesthetic, She Feels, She Sees, She Makes navigates cross-cultural terrains through the legacies of colonialism. Thus, seeking different ways to reimagine and reinterpret ourselves through the feminine aspect, as experienced through this cultural diversity.