Between Touch and Memory: Sienna Curby at the COX Gallery
Above: Still afternoon
Captivated by quiet moments of touch in old family photographs, my eye is drawn to gentle hands resting and folds of fabric draping bodies. Through careful observation and rendering of small sections of archival photographs, my paintings emphasize the significance of intimacy in our interactions with other people.
When paying close attention, human communication and expression can be read in the subtlety of gestures. The nuanced movement of the arms and hands holds a depth of information that may not be immediately clear, but can be contemplated in the extended duration of the moment in focus. Through the slow release of meaning, narratives and emotions emerge beyond the edges that I’ve chosen to enclose.
Above: ‘The artefact’
COX Gallery Artist, Sienna Curby
Suggestions of connection and absence within my work create a tension between feelings of closeness and isolation that separate our experiences from memories. Although tied to my personal history, the figures depicted are intentionally unspecific and hold a space for open interpretation and imagined stories.
Sienna Curby graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Art in 2024, and was the recipient of the COX Prize, part of the Emerging Artist Support Scheme at the School of Art & Design, Australian National University.
Top image: ‘Captured’
Bottom image: ‘The Timekeeper’
When: 13 January – 14 February 2025, with the gallery open from 9am-5pm, Monday – Friday
Where: The COX Gallery is located at 1/19 Eastlake Parade, Kingston, ACT
Photography credits:
- ‘Still afternoon’, ‘The timekeeper’, and ‘Captured’ by Claire Fletcher
- ‘The artefact’ by Brenton McGeachie