Half the World Must Be Buried Alive: Artist talk by Nicholas Hubicki
and Q&A hosted by Esther Anatolitis

Recording available soon

2 August, 6—7PM
Hillvale Gallery, Brunswick.

The Pool Collective invites you to join us for an evening with Nicholas Hubicki to discuss his Pool Grant 11 project, Half the World Must Be Buried Alive. The event will take place at Hillvale Gallery in Brunswick, where the exhibition is currently showing until 6 August. We are thrilled to welcome the Editor of Meanjin, founder of Test Pattern and one of Australia’s most influential advocates for arts and culture, Esther Anatolitis as our host for the evening.

Hubicki’s Half the World Must Be Buried Alive presents an evocative and thoughtful exploration into a silent era in Victoria’s history. The closure of mental health institutions during the 1990s left a lasting impact, and institutions such as J Ward and Aradale served their purpose for 130 years. The body of work sheds light on the historical and societal implications of mental health practices during this time. Through patient letters, instruments, admission photographs and the spaces that housed these intuitions, the work is a deep dive into the collective portrait of these intuitions and the lasting impact that they have had on Australia’s mental health. Hubicki refers to the work as a “fragmentary portrait from a vast collective of forget”.

Esther Anatolitis, a member of the National Gallery of Australia’s Governing Council and Honorary Associate Professor at RMIT School of Art, will host the artist talk and Q&A session. Her erudition and understanding of arts and culture are expected to provide depth, allowing our audience to communicate and reveal a broader meaning of the contemporary relevance of Hubicki’s latest work.

Says Esther Anatolitis: “I couldn’t stop thinking about Half the World Must Be Buried Alive after experiencing the show’s opening night. I managed to have only the briefest chat with the artist — so I’m thrilled for the opportunity of a longer conversation. The way Nicholas has presented the systems, spaces and human faces of historical mental health institutions is arresting, disquieting and urgent, demanding careful reflection on contemporary cruelties against long-forgotten practices”.

The talk will be an opportunity to engage directly with the artist while immersed in the exhibition. Moreover, it offers a journey into Australia’s silent history, providing a deeper understanding of mental health practices through the 1900s.

The event will be held on Wednesday, 2 August, from 6—7 PM at Hillvale Gallery, 43-45 Edward St, Brunswick, VIC. Numbers are limited, so RSVP is essential.