Be Still, Life

About

We’re living in a world where peace, tranquility and ’stillness’ is ever diminishing, it’s hard to find that stillness when we are presented with fast paced technology, and information at our fingertips. With this show we pause time, offer quiet reflection, and a moment to pause and question what we surround ourselves with. ‘Be Still, Life’ examines still life in our contemporary, and how it has transformed from it’s art historical roots to be relevant in today’s society: a snap shot of the ‘now’.

The term ‘still life’ traditionally describes a work of art that depicts inanimate objects, either natural or man-made. Motifs such as flowers, fruit, and vases can typically be found in a still life, as well as bones and clocks to express ‘Memento Mori’, the inevitability of death. Over time, the genre has been experimented with, diversified, and inclusive of cultural and societal commentary, not just limited to the Western experience. Still life is an expression of a personal kind of history, the objects that we choose to define us and anchor identities are ‘still’ representing still life to this day.

The ‘Be Still, Life’ exhibition brings together 24 artists who capture still life with a fresh perspective, expressing their interpretation through a variety of mediums including paint, collage, weaving, and drawing. Taking influence from their individual sub-cultures and experiences, these artworks are a celebration of the pleasures of life, life itself, and taking the moment to be still, in our lives today.