Witch Hunt – Mixed Media Self Portrait
This work was created in response to a botched surgery I endured only months ago, which left me seriously injured and profoundly changed. In the image, the remnants of hospital care linger—the tape and heart monitor stickers still clinging to my chest—as a stark reminder of the clinical detachment I was sent home with. The acrylic paint represents blood, a raw and visceral symbol of the physical trauma and the ongoing pain I continue to endure. As a woman living with endometriosis, this piece embodies both my suffering and resilience, giving voice to an often-invisible experience.
1984 – Mixed Media Self Portrait
The date I was born, and Orwell’s book supplied the title for these images—two portraits of me in hospital. One captures the hollow aftermath of losing yet another internal organ; the other shows me during a bowel blockage, eyes fixed on nothingness, stripped to a raw will to survive. Clinical light, tubes and gowns become markers of loss and endurance. By pairing time and literature with bodily trauma, the series maps how identity is rewritten by medical crisis. These works insist on visibility: they record the quiet, relentless work of inhabiting a body that refuses easy restoration and claiming agency.
Viking War – Mixed Media Self Portrait
Viking War reflects the dual battle of body and spirit. Seated in a hospital chair, I am too afraid to stand, consumed by the weight of medical uncertainty. At home, I resist surrender, refusing to yield to relentless pain. The work captures the dualism of a war within—strength and fragility, despair and endurance. Environment shapes the fight: the sterile hospital space evokes fear and disempowerment, while the intimacy of home offers defiance and fragile hope. This piece embodies the inner conflict of survival, where every moment becomes both a surrender and a call to arms.
All three works will be shown
8 – 24 October 2025
HYSTERICAL
LEGACIES
Curated by Amelia Saward
Birnbeal Gallery
Queen Victoria Women’s
Centre
Naarm/Melbourne
On sale only at exhibition, if not sold they will become available online.
Art for Aid — Saturday 25 October, 6-9pm at Holmes à Court Gallery @ no. 10
Art for Aid: Fundraiser for Medical and Humanitarian Aid
Art for Aid, a fundraising event to raise much needed funds for medical and humanitarian aid in Gaza. Get first access to a large selection of art donated by leading local, national and international artists; all works will be for sale on the night.
Tickets: $150
Dress: Cocktail
Ticket includes drinks, food, live music, and exclusive access to a live auction of selected works.
“We are proud to support Art for Aid. The response from the arts community has been deeply moving. Artists give so much of themselves, and in this case, they are giving to people facing unimaginable conditions. This is a small but meaningful way to stand with our medical colleagues and the people of Gaza.”
Janet Holmes à Court AC, Holmes à Court Gallery
All proceeds going to Perth Doctors Medical Aid for Palestine working with charities to support children and their families in Gaza.
Perth Doctors Medical Aid for Palestine (@perth_doctors_for_palestine) • Instagram photos and videos
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