SALA 2026 - RESPONDING
In 2026 I collaborated with Port Adelaide artist Nobby. We’d crossed paths over a few years as I visited his always-amazing SALA exhibitions, and eventually we came together to explore what might happen if we responded to each other creatively, making work around the place we both call home — Port Adelaide.
It was complex, challenging and, at times, pretty confusing.
As the work started to come together, I described the process like this: we looked at each other, devised a plan, walked to the edge of the creative cliff — and jumped.
When we landed, Responding was hanging on the walls.
Looking back, the question of whether the exhibition was successful is an interesting one. What’s the metric for something like this? Was I challenged? Was Nobby? Did we make work that was genuinely new for us? Did I learn something? Did the work connect with the people who came through the exhibition?
If any of those are the measure, then Responding was incredibly successful.
There’s a longer behind-the-scenes film coming, but the video below played on a screen throughout the month-long exhibition. It welcomed people into the space and gave them a glimpse into how the work was made — something I’ve always felt is an important part of experiencing light painting.
