The Grotto
Presented by Hilary Green & Spiraro
DETAILS
Free, no booking required
Shell Space
6-8 McIver Street, Brunswick VIC, Australia
The Grotto is a collaborative installation of an interior environment by artists Spiraro and Hilary Green. The exhibition presents functional designs using site-specific materials such as seaweed and rocks found at Victorian beaches.
By reimagining an interior space that values organic materials, forms and textures in contemporary design, this immersive experience explores alternative approaches to living closer to the natural world.
The exhibition includes sculptural objects, lamps and furniture, all made from biomaterials, clay, found objects and natural fibres. These works combine hard and grounded with translucent and soft, while playing with how light can also be a source of wonder.
Through this project, both artists bring together their interests in sustainable materials and sculpture to create an interior that blurs boundaries between natural and constructed worlds.
Exhibition open all weekend
Sat 16 and Sun 17 May, 10 am – 6 pm
Public opening event
Friday 15 May, 5:30 pm – 9 pm
Immersive exhibition evening
Saturday 16 May, 7:30 pm – 9 pm (ticketed)
The event offers an opportunity to spend time inside the space to observe, draw and reflect on the installations alongside a live music soundscape.
Artist talk and tour
Sunday 17 May, 2 pm – 3 pm (ticketed)
Attendees can learn about the artists’ work and ask questions. Documentation will also present how the materials were researched and formed throughout the creative process.
Participants
Hilary Green
Hilary Green is a ceramic artist based in Melbourne/Naarm. Her sculptures are inspired by the sea, shell fragments found on the sand, as well as the shapes and energy of rocks. In her work, she explores organic forms and imperfection through her drawing practice and translates them into surreal stoneware sculptures.Hilary is especially interested in the tactility of clay, her connection with the earth and how she can create a sense of freedom and movement. Her sculptural forms manifest ancient, mystical shapes alongside modern colours, playful positions and textures, while remaining functional as objects of daily use.She founded Shell Space – an event and art studio in Brunswick focused on process and community engagement.
Spiraro
Spiraro is a Melbourne/Naarm-based artist working across textiles, sculpture, biomaterials and lighting. Rooted in sensory engagement, their work invites touch, sight, smell and sound, exploring the material life of textiles, both living and lived.Using rust and plant pigments, seaweed, bacterial leather, metal, found objects and discarded textiles, Spiraro creates sculptural works that question how future materials might coexist with those of the past. Blurring boundaries between organic and human-made, their practice extends into curation and facilitation.They founded Bio(me), showcasing waste and biomaterials, and Biolab, an experimental workshop program exploring the future of materials.