Intimacy

In the exhibition Intimacy, nine Australian and international artists use video, performance, photography and sculpture to explore the complexities of making an intimate connection in our high-speed, media-saturated society. They create works which are disturbing, deeply moving, funny and uncomfortable. From painfully awkward social situations to tender exchanges, Intimacy presents moments that we can all relate to.
Some people like to watch. Others don’t. But these days we are all forced to listen. As UK based artist Eva Weber points out, “You used to have to make an effort to overhear other people's conversations, now you have to make an effort not to.” In her short documentary, The Intimacy of Strangers, Weber weaves genuine mobile phone conversations from random strangers into a reality love story.
Acclaimed Australian photographer Bill Henson presents dark images of young people that reflect the enticing risks of intimacy. Their beauty is both compelling and vaguely unsettling; the position of viewer/voyeur can be a little too close for comfort.
Sydney based artist, Astra Howard has worked extensively with homeless people and other marginalised communities. In Found In Translation, a tragi-comic puppet show using scruffy teddy bears as props, she tell their personal stories through recordings and live performances.