Showcase: Gala Jane

Erin Irwin takes a closer look at these outstanding works.

The work: Gala Jane, I’m a 90’s Bitch, 2023. Tufted acrylic yarn wall rug, 81 x 81cm. Courtesy: the artist.

When the floods of 2022 destroyed much of Lismore, Gala Jane lost everything. Her studio and artworks destroyed, the artist had to rebuild her practice from the ground up and come to terms with a fundamental change to her way of living and making. She found solace – and power – in embracing nostalgia, looking back to the colours and icons of the ‘90s.

The audience is immediately drawn to the statement delimited with graphic, bold lines in I’m a 90’s Bitch. “It’s such a strong, empowering phrase,” says Gala Jane. “You forget about the body shaming and awful low-rise jeans of the era, and you think, ‘Yes, I am a ‘90s bitch, and I’m proud of it’.”

Diverging completely from more traditional aesthetics associated with rugmaking, this work is loud and forceful, taking inspiration from the ubiquitous Memphis style. Fellow ‘90s children will recognise the ‘Cool S’ that sneaks in from the side, situating it firmly in memories of schoolbook doodles and Spice Girls playing on the radio. The work shouts its message – “no point in saying something softly; just yell it from the treetops” – and yet is simultaneously comforting.

The tufted threads invite touch, conveying a tangible memory that is all at once boisterous, joyful and cosy.

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