WINDOW ROOM EXHIBIT

NATALIE IRELAND

Exhibition dates. 29 May -9 June , 2024
Opening Reception : Thursday 30 May 2024, 6:00 - 8.30pm

In "Hungry," I challenge those viewing to question the reality of the Ukrainian Holodomor, a travesty imposed on Ukrainians during the period between 1932 and 1933.   Through the medium of glass, I aim to evoke a sense of transparency and fragility, mirroring the delicate balance between remembrance and forgetting. Each block is based on real photographic footage showing the face of famine.  In a country where wheat was, and is, gold – the contrast is shocking – and so is the denial that still exists today! 

As light filters through the glass, it illuminates both the horrors of the past and the flicker of hope that persists amidst despair. 

In bearing witness to the Holodomor through this series, I hope to honour the memory of the millions who perished and to amplify their voices that have long been silenced. "Hungry" serves as a testament to the power of art to bear witness, to provoke reflection, and to inspire a commitment to never forget. 

Natalie started learning glass-fusing and slumping techniques in 2013. Since then, glass has had a massive impact on her life, inspiring a glass studio at her home in Melbourne, Australia. A signature quality of GlassFolly pieces are their fun and quirky patterns and bold colour. As a bonus, no two pieces will ever be exactly the same. Historically, Natalie’s body of work has included platters, bowls and plates, with the occasional experimental item. More recently, she has delved into sculptural art pieces.