The Dream Weaver: Guardians of Grace | Grace Lillian Lee
Image supplied by BrisFest
Intertwining artistic practices, cultures, and ancestry, Grace Lillian Lee’s newest exhibition weaves an intimate narrative with each stitch in her work. The Dream Weaver: Guardians of Grace, presented as part of this year’s Brisbane Festival, feels like an important work not only for the artist but also the broader arts landscape. Grace combines traditional techniques from her Meriam Mir Torres Strait Islander lineage with a keen understanding of contemporary fashion and sculpture to develop a unique, impactful, and beautiful body of work. In the exhibition, eight sets of armour and shields are presented alongside video works of actors wearing the sculptural fashion pieces in a unified display.
Each set of armour and shield represents one of Grace’s relatives, creating a physical family tree of woven sculptures. The individualised detail and numerous differences (both subtle and obvious) in each relative’s manifested representations indicates a considered and thoughtful approach to the work. The artworks seem to breathe the life story and memories of their namesakes, and while inspecting the work I could almost see the emotion poured into each stitch and weave. Grace’s uniquely recognisable and culturally informed style is on full display in the exhibition, and yet paradoxically each work feels simultaneously wholly unique and part of a greater story - concurrently demonstrating her relatives individuality and interconnectedness.
The exhibition has been carefully curated in the Brisbane Powerhouse’s Stores building, effectively filling the space and creating a clear pathway through the visual narrative. Didactic text adds to the journey with insight into the works and their symbolism, alongside accessible materials for younger audiences. Considerable work must have gone into the installation process to create such a sense of clarity and cohesion throughout the experience. Grace has described this exhibition as the start of a new chapter of her artistic practice, and this shines through in the thoughtfulness in each aspect of the curatorial execution.
Video works are projected alongside the woven sculptures, demonstrating how the large pieces are intended to be worn. Actors move slowly and thoughtfully across a flat barren landscape, only punctuated by the stunning blue sky and radiant sun. The film aspect of the exhibition helps contextualise the works and illuminate the artistic narrative in a more direct way. The connections between each of the works is acted out as the performers pose and intermingle in a surreal demonstration of lineage and familial bonds. An atmospheric highlight of the experience was the soundscape created by musician Jagarizzar; Grace’s brother-in-law. The dreamlike composition fills the air of the space with a variety of traditional instrumentation and the Vula’a dialect’s word for ‘beauty’. The gentle and intermingled noises are reflective of the careful layering seen in Grace’s woven works.
Grace Lillian Lee is playing a large part in this year’s Brisbane Festival, with her work also being displayed at Brisbane Quarter and on the runway of Jean Paul Gaultier's Fashion Freak Show. The spotlight Grace is receiving is inline with a trend towards wearable art and the development of Brisbane’s artistic influence, and seeing a local First Nations artist shine is wonderful. In the final chapter of The Dream Weaver: Guardians of Grace a transformation is represented through the symbolism of a chrysalis. As Grace emerges into a new artistic chapter it is clear her practice will only continue to develop and evolve.
‘The Dream Weaver: Guardians of Grace’ exhibits at Brisbane Powerhouse as part of Brisbane Festival 2024 until 21 September.
