26 September–24 November 2024

South Australian glass artist Gabriella Bisetto has always had an abiding interest in the inconceivable complexities of the human body.

Growing up on a farm where the circle of life and death played out naturally, Bisetto developed an inordinate appreciation for the physicality and vigour of ‘being’ that has remained with her throughout her life. This interest has been underpinned by a fascination with the science and biology that denotes how bodies work. Much of Bisetto’s past work has been motivated by a desire to translate the outcomes of this science into tangible, visual outcomes that become comprehensible through art.

Over the past few years, Bisetto has become increasingly interested in the changing phases of our bodies as our cells change tempo and production – changes that are evident through the surface of our skins and reflections. This self-awareness has predicated the development of the works featured in Bisetto’s solo exhibition first breath, last breath, everything in between. Drawing from the ancient Roman adoption of the term ‘memento mori’ (‘remember that you must die’), the works in this exhibition reference and acknowledge the changing boundaries of our bodies as we enter new phases of our lives.

Gabriella Bisetto is a Senior Lecturer at UniSA Creative, University of South Australia. This exhibition, and the accompanying monograph co-published with Wakefield Press, are supported through the ongoing partnership between JamFactory and the University of South Australia. Presented in conjunction with Chihuly in the Botanic Garden.