Fictionalish

Fictionalish by Meanjin/Brisbane-based artist Emma Gardner is an installation of suspended self-portraits and soft sculpture. Gardner draws inspiration from the ancient Sibyl archetype—a seeress who channels prophetic wisdom. In her self-portraiture, Gardner weaves threads of Paganism, bridging the mystical and the mundane. Through light-sensitive emulsions, these monograms of body prints on salvaged textiles become vessels for hidden narratives. They transcend the tendency towards likeness and embrace fragments of identity. The outer body sheds its corporeal weight, leaving behind a lucid trace—an imprint of our transient presence. These works were captured by quiet streams or desolate beaches. Successions of movements were enacted in ritual states where the residue brings together past and present, where myth and memory converge through the fabric. As you move through the deep blue hues, the artist invites you to consider your own imprint—the whispers you leave behind.