Rose de Freycinet Gallery
Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery & Visitor Centre
Malgana, Nanda and Yinggarda Country
25 July 25 — 31 August 2025
Mon — Fri 9am — 4.30pm | Sat 10am — 2pm
An ART ON THE MOVE touring exhibition
SICK AF: exhibition explores iIlness, injury and the transformative power of making
The Shire of Shark Bay presents SICK AF, an exhibition touring across regional Western Australia with ART ON THE MOVE. The exhibition runs from July 25 to August 31 at the Rose de Freycinet Gallery, Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery & Visitor Centre.
SICK AF is a bold and moving exhibition that delves into the personal narratives of artists who have navigated life-altering illnesses or injuries, using creative practice as a tool for expression, recovery, and resilience.
Curated by Amanda Alderson, SICK AF features work by over 20 local, national, and international artists, including Helena Bogucki, Lucinda Crimson, Ron Bradfield Jnr, and Olga Cironis. Each piece offers a deeply personal insight into the artist’s experience, highlighting the transformative power of making in the face of adversity.
The exhibition draws directly from Alderson’s own experience of recovery after sustaining disabling injuries in 2021. An artist and independent curator with a 25-year career in arts and cultural management, her practice draws on autobiographical experiences and a deep passion for the arts.
“When I first became injured, I was consistently prescribed nature, sunshine and art. Nature and sunshine offered a place for rest, reflection and healing — but art was unexpected. I embraced making. It helped manage symptoms, gave me tangible goals to work towards, and, most importantly, sparked joy.”
To curate SICK AF, Alderson put out a call for artists with lived experience of illness, injury, or caring roles. The resulting collection of works offers both intimate and universal reflections on resilience, healing, and creativity.
“While curating SICK AF, I listened to artists whose stories echoed my own — facing life-changing diagnoses, navigating the long tail of recovery, and finding acceptance as patients or carers. Through this, I saw how the process of making itself can be a refuge.”
“I hope that visitors leave SICK AF with a deeper understanding of the sometimes-invisible experiences many people live with every day, and a greater appreciation for the power of creativity and making to help us navigate the hardest parts of being human.”
Following its launch as part of the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial (IOTA) in 2024, SICK AF is now touring regional Western Australia as part of a two-year program facilitated by ART ON THE MOVE — the state’s only organisation dedicated to touring visual art exhibitions.
The tour is supported by the State Government’s Regional Exhibition Touring Boost.
To find out more visit https://artonthemove.art/exhibition/sick-af/
For more information,
interviews and images contact:
Communications Officer
ART ON THE MOVE
08 9271 3902
communications@artonthemove.art
