Even more beautiful IRL (2022)

19 April – 29 May 2022, Incinerator Gallery, Victoria

Curated by Amelia Dowling

Artists: Aaron Billings, Amelia Dowling, Ema Shin, Josephine Mead, Karima Baadilla, Luciano, Mig Dann, Madeline Bishop and Celine Dore.

Even more beautiful IRL is a group exhibition which seeks to savour moments of human intimacy and physical tenderness amidst the backdrop of a global pandemic.

The artists have utilised multiple mediums, including photography, textiles, painting, poetry, and storytelling to reflect on the deep and enduring impacts of Melbourne’s lockdowns.

Exploring themes of intimacy, closeness, and connection, the exhibition examines individual and societal shifts and challenges created by the need for social-distancing and the subsequent loss of face-to-face interactions as a result. In some instances, it has not been possible to be with or touch those we love, and much of our regular social interaction has been moved online. While isolation, disconnection, and loneliness have been felt by many throughout this experience, Even more beautiful IRL celebrates the personal and communal significance of re-connecting with art and with one another, in real life.

Photos by Janelle Low