One year on – Institute of Modern Art’s new On Fire exhibition commemorates the Black Summer bushfires
It feels almost unreal that only one year has passed since the devastating Black Summer bushfires that ravaged our country in late 2019 and early 2020. To commemorate the anniversary of the destructive events of last summer, Brisbane’s Institute of Modern Art has unveiled On Fire: Climate and Crisis, a brand-new exhibition that will be taking over the arts centre from Saturday January 30 to Tuesday March 30.
Institute of Modern Art’s On Fire: Climate and Crisis exhibition will be examining the Black Summer bushfires and the global issue of ecological change through art. Featuring a curated selection of works by 15 Queensland-based artists (including eight new commissions), the showcase will explore the themes of global warming and climate change through paintings, sculptures, immersive installations and videos. Artists featured in the exhibition include some familiar faces – Gordon Bennett, Naomi Blacklock, Paul Bong, Hannah Brontë, Michael Candy, Kinly Grey, Dale Harding, Tracey Moffatt with Gary Hillberg, Erika Scott, Madonna Staunton, Anne Wallace, Judy Watson, Warraba Weatherall, Tintin Wulia and Jemima Wyman.
On Fire will be accompanied by an illustrated publication that has been designed by Brisbane’s Studio Bland, with commissioned texts from Amelia Barikin, Shannon Brett, Chari Larsson, Kevin O’Brien, Rachel O’Reilly and Tim Riley Walsh. To ignite conversations and introduce gallery-goers to local artists, Institute of Modern Art will also host two free panel events on the opening weekend of the exhibition – Cultural Fire and Art and Art and Crisis. Both of these events will explore the key themes of the exhibition, including topics such as global warming, arts’ capacity to bring about change and conversation, and the revival of cultural burning practices.
To learn more about this exhibition, head to Institute of Modern Art’s website.
To find out more about what’s on in Brisbane, head to our Event Guide.
