Working from her studio at The Creator Incubator in Hamilton North, Brontë has already solidified her reputation as a formidable presence on the national public art landscape. Brontë’s mural work can be seen woven throughout the fabric of Newcastle’s CBD, her immediately recognisable collage-influenced works complementing the patchwork of various architectural and social influences which so define our city.
Brontë is also my friend. I sat down with her in January for an interview. I was eager for it to be more of a candid conversation than an interview, and we ended up just chatting quite generally about our experiences as young, female, emerging artists. Most of the interview is of course filled with too many expletives to publish here. The truth is, a woman’s work is tiring. Thriving, or even just surviving in the historically male-dominated art world remains filled with trials for women and non-binary people alike. Caring responsibilities, maintaining relationships, children - even the moral implications of bringing children into a world struggling with the ramifications of the Anthropocene era. But, it is these very trials which reinforce the importance of that which supports and uplifts us: friends, love and the love of art.
Wednesday Sutherland (b. 1992) is an emerging artist living and working on Worimi and Awabakal land in Newcastle, Australia.
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We Are is a multi-location multimedia photographic experience highlighting creative women of Newcastle, commencing on Wednesday March 8th 2023 (International Women’s Day) and culminating in a celebration event at The Lock-Up on Friday March 24th.
We Are is a portrait project featuring 20 WH!P Collective members turning their lenses towards fellow female and non-binary creatives to highlight the many benefits that a thriving and diverse artistic community bring to our region.
WH!P (Women* of the Hunter !n Photography) was founded in 2020 to embrace and create opportunities for professional photographers from the Hunter region by leveraging the combined skills, experience and credentials of its members. Fostering a culture of support, celebration, exchange, education, advocacy, action, enjoyment, play and growth, it hopes to actively raise the profile of contemporary photographic excellence, education and experimentation in the Hunter Region. WH!P works collaboratively with those both within and beyond the local area who share our belief that the world should be shown through a lens as diverse as the real world.
*all references to women/woman is inclusive of gender diverse people
WH!P’s logos and graphics designed by Laura Kent
“The truth is, a womans work is tiring. Thriving, or even just surviving in the historically male-dominated art world remains filled with trials for women and non-binary people alike.”