Still from Zara Mollaei, Mohabbat-Nameh (Letter of Love), 2024, video, 3:24 min, courtesy the artist
Collective Grief: a path through shared sorrow and resilience
17 May – 19 July, 2025
artists: Rusaila Bazlamit, Nicole Barakat, Claire B. Bushby, Olga Cironis, Nastaran Ghadiri, Zara Mollaei, Zali Morgan, Elnaz Sheshgelani
This exhibition is a reflection on the deep and interwoven nature of collective grief, and the lasting mark it leaves on societies, cultures, and individuals alike. It is a space where the pain of loss becomes a source of connection, resistance, and transformation.
Through the eyes and voices of artists who have lived through or been shaped by collective mourning, we witness how grief is not only an emotional response but a powerful force that shapes identity, memory, and community. It is the grief of stolen futures, of histories erased and lives cut short, yet it is also the grief that binds us together and fuels movements for justice, resilience, and liberation. From cultural rituals to moments of protest, grief is revealed as a deep, enduring expression of love, solidarity, and the unyielding hope for freedom.
The works featured in this exhibition span across diverse materials, including textile, video, paintings, and sculptures to create a rich and multifaceted exploration of collective grief.
About the curator
Nastaran (Nas) Ghadiri is an Iranian-Australian artist based in Perth, Western Australia. She completed her degree in Visual Arts at the University of Tehran in 2005 before relocating to Perth in 2010, where she went on to earn a Master’s degree in Digital Design from Edith Cowan University.
Nastaran has since built a vibrant practice as an artist, illustrator, and graphic designer, with her work exhibited across Australia and internationally. In recent years, she has shifted her focus toward creating large-scale sculptures and embroidered works using textiles and recycled materials. Through her art, Nastaran explores themes of nostalgia, belonging, loss, motherhood, birth, and death, offering a deeply personal yet universal reflection on the human experience.
This exhibition marks Nastaran’s first experience as a curator, bringing together diverse artistic voices in a shared exploration of collective grief.
Opening event Friday, 16 May | 6 – 8pm
Gallery hours:
Monday – Friday, 10am – 4pm
Saturdays, 10am – 2pm
