Kieron Broadhurst is an artist based in Perth, WA. Through a variety of media he investigates the speculative potential of fiction within contemporary art practice.

What does Hatched mean to you?

Hatched is an important pillar of the local and national arts community. For the emerging artists who participate in the exhibition it represents a transition from being a student to being amongst peers. For the community of peers surrounding each participant it’s also an opportunity for them to transition from being in the headspace of a student to being in the headspace of being an emerging artist – they see their fellow student(s), who they studied with and developed a practice alongside of, have their work be displayed in a prestigious space alongside a survey of other artists at similar points in their careers. Hatched is a tasting platter of exciting emerging art practices. It’s an opportunity to see what kind of material and conceptual interests are developing alongside a community of new and experimental practices. As such, Hatched isn’t just a prize, or a survey of emerging practice, it’s a celebration of what’s to come, both for the artists involved, and for people interested in contemporary art more broadly.

How did Hatched help to develop your practice or career?

Being in Hatched was formative for me as it validated aspects of my practice that I hadn’t explored outside of art school before. It felt like being welcomed into a community of exciting ideas and ways of making. It gave me a platform for my emerging practice and led to several early career opportunities. While the kind of work I make today is very different from the kind of work I exhibited in Hatched, I am not sure I would have gotten to where I am today had I not been fortunate enough to be included.