Picturing the End

'Picturing the End' reflects on how our relationship with our own mortality intersects with narratives of humanity’s downfall.

Depictions and predictions of civilisational collapse, looming planetary limits and existential threats reverberate through contemporary culture. While the cause and appropriate response to these apocalyptic visions may be a point of debate across the political spectrum, the assurance of mass human suffering just around the corner has popular appeal. As “the End” of humanity flashes across our screens, what can we learn about ourselves and our public cultures by examining these narratives?

Bringing together works from significant Australian artists Tiyan Baker, Joseph Breikers, Michael Cook, Kinly Grey, Guy Louden, Dana Lawrie, Tracey Moffatt, Grant Stevens, and more, Picturing the End reflects on how our relationship with our own mortality intersects with narratives of humanity’s downfall.

Image: Tiyan Baker, Bamboo Paradise, 2019, installation view. Photo: Dan McCabe.