Who determines what remains in collective memory? What happens to objects and narratives that are forgotten or disregarded in history? Is it possible to fully comprehend or recreate the past? These questions are central to the themes explored by the artists featured in this year’s Primavera exhibition, which highlights the work of Australian artists aged 35 and under.
Curated by Antares Wells, the exhibition showcases a selection of emerging talents discovered through her extensive travels to studios and galleries across all Australian states and territories. Wells noted a prevalent interest among the artists in engaging with historical archives and remnants of the past. “Visiting so many artists could easily yield multiple exhibitions,” she remarked in an interview with ABC Arts. “However, I found a common theme that I referred to as ‘traces,’ which reflects a fascination with historical relics and the process of transforming them into something new. This is a timeless theme, yet the artists in Primavera bring a unique approach to it.”
The six featured artists tackle the theme from various perspectives, yet a shared focus on the concept of value emerges, particularly regarding what society chooses to discard or ignore. According to Wells, this exhibition is designed to resonate both intellectually and emotionally. “It’s not merely a cold collection of archives; there is a vibrant human element present in all the works, even those that may appear sleek and impersonal,” she explained. “I hope visitors leave with an appreciation for the intellectual and aesthetic richness of Australian art, as well as the profound human narratives surrounding it.”
Among the compelling works is Callum McGrath’s piece titled History Piece, which delves into a queer love triangle that concluded in the tragic stabbing of 19-year-old stoker John ‘Jack’ Joseph Riley aboard the naval ship HMAS Australia II in 1942. The incident led to complex legal proceedings that often obscured the truth. McGrath, based in Naarm/Melbourne, has frequently examined queer history in his art, and this particular narrative was notably suppressed by authorities at the time. “The homosexual aspect emerged from a confession made by the victim to the surgeon while he was being treated for his wounds,” McGrath explained. “This confession was omitted from court proceedings, which I found significant.”
By reinterpreting the story, McGrath highlights the intricate interplay of queer history, power, and politics. His multimedia work employs layered images and text, challenging viewers to engage deeply with the narrative. “The work is comprehensive and layered,” he described. “Instead of presenting succinct information, I aimed to showcase the evidence as a collection of various elements.” His artistic process includes creating line drawings of key figures involved in the case, transforming original photographs into etched glass images filled with ink, which he believes serve as visual vessels of history.
Linda Sok’s Deities in Temples XXI explores the revival of a sacred art form nearly obliterated by the Khmer Rouge regime. During their rise to power in 1975, the regime targeted religious artifacts, including pidans, traditional Cambodian silk weavings typically hung in temples. Much of what was lost remains documented only on archival cards in the National Museum of Cambodia. Now residing in the USA, Sok found that recreating these lost treasures allowed her to reconnect with her family and her Cambodian roots. She enlisted her family’s help by sharing the archival descriptions, leading them to create their interpretations of the lost pidans. “Having moved to the US made me feel distant from my family,” she reflected. “Initially, they were hesitant, but once they began sketching, they became more engaged.”
To honor the traditional weaving technique while adding her unique touch, Sok devised an innovative method that involved screen-printing her family’s drawings onto tightly pulled threads, followed by painted embellishments. “Screen-printing allowed me to pay tribute to the technique without fully replicating it, while also infusing my style,” she noted. As she recreated the pidans, Sok contemplated the inherently fragmented and imperfect nature of historical records. One of her family’s drawings featured a tree, despite the official archival account omitting any mention of it. “During my visit to Cambodia, I recognized how prevalent tree imagery is in Buddhist iconography, making it fascinating that they chose to include it,” she stated. “It raises intriguing questions about the potential oversight of archivists.”
Lastly, the exhibition features a lighthearted yet poignant exploration of the phenomenon of ‘meteorwrongs’—common rocks that individuals mistakenly believe to be meteorites. Often sent to local science museums for validation, these items serve as a reminder of the allure and mystery of objects from outer space. This theme, presented in the work Meteorite Enquiries, captures a blend of humor and melancholy, inviting viewers to reflect on the nature of discovery and the stories behind seemingly ordinary items.
