Dates
1 May - 30 Jun 2020Location
66 Hope Street, South BrisbaneSOMETHING BIG will synthesise the themes of Mark du Potiers’ practice, revolving around cultural identity, mental health, and queerness, within the context of COVID-19. du Potiers will use the space afforded by the Hope St. studio and gallery to experiment with sculpture, performance, costume and installation, with an emphasis on colour and symbolism, connection, and joy. Here something ‘BIG’ relates directly to the manipulation of space and scale within the physical space of the residency, and also to the expansion of this studio work through online channels. Building on this, the project will also document dialogues with other local artists – particularly creatives who face prejudice, to explore ways that art has broadened their worlds, helping them to find SOMETHING BIGger as makers and audiences. Through experimentation and dialogue, SOMETHING BIG will use solitary making as a platform to explore art as a window, mirror, and portal to worlds outside of our own, seeking to develop connection in isolation.
The artists
Mark du Potiers
Mark du Potiers negotiates cultural identity and anxiety through interdisciplinary sculpture. Born, raised, and based in Meanjin / Brisbane, he is an Australian who happens to have both Hongkonger and Chinese heritage, and draws upon experiences and mental health challenges of living as a person of colour. In this context, du Potiers’ practice examines power, privilege, and representation, without being bound to a specific material or method. His work references queerness and its additional complexities when navigated through a multicultural lens, with more recent outcomes incorporating textiles and installation – delving into manipulation of space and scale.
In addition to participating in residencies, exhibitions, and art prizes as an artist, du Potiers is a founding member of XYZ Artist-Run-Initiative – a recipient of National Association for the Visual Arts’ ‘New Space’ mentorship program.
Artist website: https://blisteredhand.wordpress.com/