re/JOY 2024

Ceramic artist Vipoo Srivilasa's solo exhibition re/JOY represents his most significant body of work to date, and the largest he has ever attempted.

For this collaborative community project Vipoo has taken seven precious, yet broken, ceramic objects donated by strangers, each with their own story of migration to different parts of Australia. Around these pieces he has built seven towering, large-scale works, plus a smaller one in honour of his own story. re/JOY aims to engage with overseas-born Australians, but anyone will recognise the connections we form with objects that hold special memories and can evoke strong emotions.

In 2023, Vipoo Srivilasa received a Creative Australia grant for re/JOY with ADC as the commissioning partner.

Curated by Lisa Cahill, ADC’s CEO and Artistic Director, and designed by Stephen Goddard, re/JOY captures the diversity of migration stories and how people build their different lives in Australia. It also looks at the complex feelings and challenges that come with relocating countries and finding a new place to belong, the pain of leaving family and friends, the difficulties of applying to stay. In the project development stage, Vipoo was assisted by curator Tian Zhang, who specialises in collaboration and social change, to realise his artistic vision for re/JOY.

re/JOY is a joyful, playful and hopeful project – a rich tapestry of humanity. We thank the seven people who donated their broken objects and stories to this project.

Read Vipoo's interview with Daniel Browning on ABC Radio's Art Show here.