Painted for the Archibald, collected by the Tate: Meet Justene Williams

Sydney-born artist Justene Williams has returned to the Australian art scene with a dynamic exhibition titled Once We Were Mudskippers, currently on display at Brisbane’s Queensland Art Gallery (QAG). The show is a vibrant convergence of newly created works and selections from her two-decade-long career, showcasing Williams’s ongoing evolution without presenting a conventional retrospective.

Williams’s practice is deeply rooted in transformation and reinvention, often repurposing discarded materials and drawing on her experiences from south-west Sydney’s industrial environments. This ethos manifests in her latest projects, where she melds performance, sculpture, and video art into immersive installations. A notable example includes her creation of “emote sculptures,” large-scale pieces inspired by the digital gestures of contemporary gaming culture, notably Fortnite, which appear animated as if caught mid-movement.

Her interest in primal origins and environmental themes informs the exhibition’s title and concept. Williams began experimenting with forms derived from wet, pulped cardboard, shaping them into simple, organic figures she likens to primordial beings. These motifs invite reflection on the tension between humanity’s emergence from the natural world and current ecological and political challenges, a duality curator Ellie Buttrose emphasizes in framing the exhibition.

Once We Were Mudskippers also incorporates audio elements from Williams’s earlier live performances, such as those staged in Hobart and Auckland, where she engaged with found materials in immersive, often aquatic-themed settings. The installation Spirit Box, featuring a collection of radios tuned across various frequencies, echoes these past works, blending sound and sculptural form to extend Williams’s dialogue between past and present.

Williams’s artistic journey encompasses collaborations across multiple disciplines, including opera and video. Her 2016 restaging of the Russian Futurist opera Victory Over the Sun for the Biennale of Sydney highlighted her capacity to bridge avant-garde performance and visual art. More recently, she has worked with neurodiverse musicians from Western Sydney’s Club Weld to premiere a new opera, A Magical Hotstart, at Powerhouse Parramatta, further evidencing her commitment to inclusive, experimental art-making.

Her approach to art is informed by a background in dance and performance, which continues to influence her work. Early aspirations as a dancer have translated into a performative dimension within her art, where the body and movement remain central themes. This is evident in video works where she often camouflages herself within constructed environments, exploring visibility and identity.

Williams’s career trajectory traces back to the 1990s Sydney art scene, where she mingled with fellow artists and co-founded the CBD gallery. Her early photographic works are characterized by staged compositions that suggest motion and narrative ambiguity. A period living in Boston marked a shift toward video performance and handmade sets, reflecting both personal isolation and creative resourcefulness.

Throughout her evolving oeuvre, Williams embraces an ambitious work ethic, driven by a compulsion to create and a do-it-yourself spirit. She navigates the intersections of class, consumer culture, and artistic innovation, often referencing her experiences in retail and visual merchandising. These influences surface in installations like The Vertigoats, which incorporate elements from commercial aesthetics and avant-garde dance.

Once We Were Mudskippers remains open until early March at QAG, offering visitors an expansive view of Williams’s multifaceted practice. Concurrently, her new opera at Powerhouse Parramatta underscores her ongoing exploration of collaborative and cross-disciplinary projects. As Williams continues to push boundaries, she exemplifies a contemporary artist unafraid to reinvent and reconnect with both her roots and the evolving cultural landscape.