OBSERVER: The Arts with Peter Kemp
Diagrams for Transition –
Tonee Messiah
Movement through alternating perception is observed as diagrammatic process of transition.
A perception of belief in place comforted by its assumed resolution until it is met by an abrupt intrusion which must wilfully be absorbed or rejected.
The assessment of what can be acknowledged and what might be a threat to equilibrium becomes the focus of observation for Diagrams for Transition.
Exhibition closes April 5.
Nicolas Thompson Gallery
155 Langridge St, Collingwood
At St Kilda
Residue of Intimacy –
Aurora Burnett Kuhn
explores the intersection of darkroom photography and intimacy, examining the lingering presence pf touch, memory, and leisure.
For Aurora, the darkroom is not merely a site for production but a space of devotion – an active collaborator in the art of making.
Desire plays a central role in Aurora’s work, both in subject and methodology. She has documented the body of her boyfriend Kirill on 35 mm film, then revisiting these images in the darkroom, where memory and longing take material form.
Inspired by filmmaker Luca Guadagnino and photographer Man Ray, Aurora abstracts the human figure , fragmenting it into textures of shin, folds of fabric, and fleeting impressions of presence.
Exhibition opens Thursday March 27 and closes May 4.
Linden New A
Linden Projects Space
rear 26 Acland St, St Kilda
Burrinja
Chrysalis –
Dandenong Ranges Open Studios Group Exhibition
The annual Open Studios group exhibition is designed to produce a cohesive and diverse range of artwork to showcase the creative energy of each artist. This year’s theme is Chrysalis.
The Chrysalis exhibition invites artists to explore personal or collective solution, the shedding of old ideas, and the emergence of new perspectives.
It encourages reflection on the cycles of change, resilience, and beauty that often arises from moments of quiet introspection and metamorphosis.
Through various mediums and interpretations, the exhibition seeks to highlight the delicate yet powerful process of coming.
With 42 studios showcasing nearly 600 artists, the Chrysalis exhibition is the perfect place to your appetite with this taster of the diverse talent the hills has to offer, before embarking on your journey to explore the studios.
Exhibition closes Sunday April 27.
Outside of Me – Leticia Hodson and Wade Keighly
This compelling exhibition by mother and son, Leticia Hodson and Wade Keighly captures a pivotal moment in their relationship – where a parent steps back, allowing their child’s artistic voice to shine.
Wade (13), born with Down Syndrome, creates with instinct and expression, contrasting with Leticia’s narrative portraiture, which documents his creative journey.
Exhibition opens Saturday March 29 and closes Sunday May 11.
Venue: Aerie Gallery.
Burrinja Gallery
351 Glenfern Rd, Upwey
Glen Eira
Thread – Tangles/detangles
Naarm Textile Collective.
Thread – Tangles/detangles brings together work by artists from the Naarm Textile Collective who explore the possibilities of thread in their work. Each artist will use their unique perspective and textile discipline to follow a different thread, wherever it may lead them.
The exhibition explores tangible and intangible connections, processes and techniques.
Transformed through knitting, weaving, looping and stitching, threads carry significant personal and cultural narratives.
It aims to encourage viewers to think their relationship to thread be aware of its materiality, possibilities and limitations.
Exhibition closes April 6.
Glen Eira Art Gallery
Cnr Glen Eira and Hawthorn Rd.
Caulfield
MOPh
Topshots
is an annual celebration of emerging photo-media artists selected from a large pool of entries. @025 marks the 17th anniversary of this award and exhibition, which showcases exceptional photographic work produced by students who have complete the Victorian Certificate of Education subjects of art Making and Exhibiting, Art Creative Practice and Media, as well as the International Baccalaureate subject of Visual Arts and the Vocational Education and Training subject of Visual Arts.
The 2025 winner is Maylinn O’Connor. The artist said that her series Bd Ngooi, translating to “Grandmother”. delves into the theme of my cultural heritage through layered photographic portraits, blending photographs of myself with ancestral figures from Vietnam dating back to 1837.
MOPh
860 Ferntree Gully Rd.
Wheelers Hill
Peter Kemp