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.

Aleks Danko (VIC), Emily Floyd (VIC), Kirsty Hulm (VIC), Anastasia Klose (VIC), Andrew McQualter (VIC), Rose Nolan (VIC), Mark Parfitt (WA), Tom Polo (NSW), Rachel Scott (NSW)

Why do we do the things we do

Why do we do the things we do

A rare glimpse into the artistic process, this exhibition offers an insight into the decisions artists make when developing their work, and their hopes and fears about how it will be received by their audience.
Presenting work by eminent senior artists such as Aleks Danko and Rose Nolan alongside work by recent graduates such as Tom Polo and Kirsty Hulm, the exhibition highlights that the aspirations and anxieties that accompany the making of an artwork remain constant throughout an artist’s career. The approach taken to the subject ranges widely, from Andrew McQualter’s poetic and earnest wall drawings about the role of the artist in society, to the bitingly funny videos by Rachel Scott about the pitfalls of working from her parents’ garage.
Ultimately, what these frank and deeply personal works reveal is that the desire of the artist to communicate and connect with the viewer is the driving force in why they do the things they do.