GROUP EXHIBITION

The Limits of My Language Are the Limits of My World, curated by 2024 Emerging Curator Program recipient Annabel Brown, brings together six local artists to explore how visual language can deepen our understanding of the emotional and existential profundity that undergirds the climate emergency.

The exhibition draws on Australian eco-philosopher Glenn Albrecht’s view that existing language, particularly English, is insufficient in its capacity to define and express the grief and anxiety caused by climate change and the destructive forces of 24/7 capitalism.

Brown invites viewers to consider whether the apparent apathy toward the ecological crisis is misguided or harmful. The politics surrounding environmental crises, particularly in climate-privileged regions, are varied and increasingly complex. However, for those not caught in denial, what seems like indifference may actually stem from feelings of anxiety, fear, or powerlessness, manifesting as inaction or paralysis. The inability to perceive or feel the direct consequences of climate change renders its impacts distant and abstract. This may happen because the language to articulate the scale of the crisis and attendant emotions is unknown, or the problems are unquantifiable. Could it be that populations unconsciously avoid acknowledging these emotions because language fails to articulate them? The exhibition creates a space to explore these questions, using art to confront and interrograte the confusion and distress brought on by the climate emergency.