Exhibition Opening: Wise Parliament

Join ACF Canberra Community members at the opening night of Wise Parliment.

Wise Parliament
By Sally Blake

Pivot Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre
Opening: 6pm Friday 25 August 2023
Exhibition: 25 August – 8 October 2023

Wise Parliament is an exhibition of the world’s owl species in drawings. It continues my exploration of peoples’ relationship with nature, and the impacts of human-induced environmental damage.

Owls have captured the human imagination. Their silent flight, nocturnal habits and night vision play in our psyches, creating myths and symbols of wisdom, death and renewal, intuitive vision and transformation amongst others.

In the gallery we are held in the owls’ gaze, their forward-facing eyes staring back at the viewer. Nature staring back at humankind – are they questioning our decisions that put the natural world at risk? Owls inhabit every continent except Antarctica, meaning their long-term survival is critical to every country on earth. Some are threatened, vulnerable and extinct particularly due to habitat loss and secondary poisoning from rodent control. In Australia all owl species are listed as ‘not in danger’, but at the state level many are threatened.

Owls’ collective noun, parliament, symbolically decentres human governance that continues to put the natural world at risk. Symbolically wisdom is meaningful as this is what humans need to address climate change and other ecological crises.

Learn more: belcoarts.com.au/wise-parliament