Pearl | The Emerald Ruby
May 4 2024 — June 23 2024
Pearl is an immersive work created by artist and composer, The Emerald Ruby (also known as Jen Hankin). For this work, the artist draws on cherished memories spent with family at Pearl Beach on the NSW Central Coast where regular gatherings marked milestones of a family’s growth and change.
Central to the experience of Pearl is the epic presence of Mueck’s sculpture Pregnant woman, on loan from the National Gallery of Australia. Set against this backdrop, Pearl invites us to think about our own family’s histories, of past and future gatherings which may come alive through the soundscapes of music, the salty breeze of the ocean, the delicate texture of seashells, and the joyful laughter of cousins.
Inspired by Botticelli’s masterpiece, The Birth of Venus, 1485–1486, Pearl evokes the cocoon of safety and solitude of a baby in the womb. Nestled beneath a cascading sound shower, the soft clamshell and pearl sculpture asks you to take a seat within this intimate sanctuary.
