At PICA we recognise that we are situated within the unceded lands of the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation. We pay our respects and offer our gratitude to Elders past and present, and to those emerging leaders in the community. We acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the importance of their care and continued connection to culture, community and Country.

Always was, always will be.

Galleries are open today, 10am–5pm. Our exhibitions are always free.

Jacob Kotzee and Tessa MacKay

Quick Response Artist-in-Residence

Quick Response Artist-in-Residence

Jacob Kotzee and Tessa MacKay will explore the cultural and material impact of early digital photography on social media during the mid-to-late 2000s. During this time users flooded platforms with raw, low-resolution images, in stark contrast to today’s polished and curated visuals. Through painting and research, their project examines how these so-called ‘low-value’ images played a pivotal role in shaping online identity and self-representation. 

About the artists

Boorloo (Perth)-based artists Jacob Kotzee and Tessa MacKay’s practice explores the intersections of digital culture, identity, and representation through painting. Tessa MacKay, a mid-career artist, uses her hyperrealist background to examine contemporary figurative art and early digital photography’s impact on image-making. Jacob Kotzee, an emerging artist, focuses on how the technical imperfections and formal qualities of painting can explore subjectivity and agency in banal, everyday imagery. Together, they investigate how painting can critically engage with the aesthetics and social implications of early digital media, questioning the evolving role of images in shaping personal and cultural narratives. 

Supporters

PICA’s Studio Program is supported by PICA’s Art Ambassadors.