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Sculpture Pushes Limits: Adelaide Biennial Explores Yield Strength
28 Feb
Summary
- The exhibition explores how far artists can push materials and ideas.
- Sculpture is prominently featured, challenging viewers with diverse works.
- The Biennial examines societal and political boundaries alongside art.
The 2026 Adelaide Biennial, curated by Ellie Buttrose and titled "Yield Strength," places sculpture in sharp focus. The exhibition features 24 artists, including Archie Moore and Kirtika Kain, who explore the limits of their materials and artistic ideas. Buttrose draws a parallel between an engineering term and the potential for pushing societal, environmental, and political boundaries until they break.
The Biennial aims to dissolve separations between ideas, artists, and even gallery spaces. Works are displayed across the Art Gallery of South Australia, Samstag Gallery, and the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. This interconnectedness encourages a dialogue between artworks, such as Julie Nangala Robertson's representational dot paintings and Prudence Flint's figurative paintings.
"Yield Strength" emphasizes the labor involved in art creation and appreciation. It highlights the artists' dedication, the curator's effort, and the viewer's role in interpreting the works. The exhibition rewards deeper engagement, revealing hidden details and fostering a sense of joy in confronting life's inherent frictions and complexities.
Humour is a significant element, seen in works like Archie Moore's provocative "bucket of piss" sculpture and John Spiteri's canvases paired with vomiting emojis. This juxtaposition of contrasting concepts, such as abjection and beauty, despair and hope, reflects the entangled nature of experiences in the contemporary world.
