Dark Rituals, Magical Relics is an exhibition of the work of seven contemporary women artists from Australia and abroad. What links the work of Amalie Atkins (Canada), Margaret Baguley (Australia), Beata Batorowicz (Australia), Linda Clark (Australia), Ellie Coleman (Australia), Lisa Reihana (New Zealand), and Susan Shantz (Canada) is the place of ritual in their practice.

From the celebration of rites of passage, to the overcoming of marginalisation, victimisation and trauma, ritual is associated with the dynamics of transformation and empowerment. The artists in this exhibition have explored ritual as a concept and a process to subvert and disrupt gender, time, power and representational norms and to address dichotomies such as life and death, human and animal, and fact and fiction.

Often drawing on folklore, fairy tales and mythologies these artists have delved into the undercurrents of emotion, relationships, nature, power, culture and religion to craft artworks that heed messages of warning, protection and caution. The resulting art objects—be they moving image, sculpture, photograph, or installation—become the relic of these rituals.

Related events

Opening event 
Friday 14 September
6.15pm for 6.30pm 
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Artist talks
Saturday 15 September
11am
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This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.