Sarah Pirrie

Sarah Pirrie is an artist, curator, writer, and educator living and working in Darwin, Northern Territory. Pirrie currently works at Charles Darwin University as a Lecturer in Visual Arts and Coordinator of Creative and Digital Arts VET. Her most recent projects include Artback NT Spark Curatorial touring exhibition (2019-2021) We Eat We Eat: Territory focused exhibition which considered food as a form of social sculpture; (2021) DRAWN from the CDU Art Collection curated by Dr Joanna Barrkman and Sarah Pirrie; (2017-18) Coastal Links residency, exhibition and publication as inaugural Creative in Residence for Northern Territory Library; Co-curated exhibition and catalogue Counting Tidelines produced as part of the Darwin Festival and Nomad Arts exhibition, catalogue and educational tool, SECRET WORLD: Carnivorous plants of the Howard sand sheets.

Pirrie works across a conceptual, site-responsive, and often collaborative art practice that incorporates drawing, sculpture, installation events and public interventions. Pirrie’s work has referenced a range of social and environmental issues and is often shaped by local activity and phenomena. Collaborative practice commenced with the establishment of Aphids in 1994. Since then, Pirrie has worked on Interart projects including (2020) Postproduction with Matthew van Roden, (2016) Waiting for Water, Nan Giese Gallery Darwin, Watch this Space, Alice Springs and Pumphouse Point, Tasmania; place centred responses to the social and environmental context of water in Australia; (2014) Temporary Territory, Darwin Festival Event collaborating with Simon Cooper and Jakarta based Arts Collective Ruangrupa, (2013) Hidden/Pulse Disturbance by Stray (collaborative team of Sarah Pirrie and Natasha Anderson) at Northern Centre for Contemporary Art (NCCA).

Exhibitions include (2022) RISE 2.2: Considerations of saltwater, fish, mangroves & people, oil & plastic, Cross Arts Projects, Sydney, (2018) Hadley’s Art Prize, Tasmania, (2018), Tidal18 City of Devonport National Art Award, Tasmania, (2018) Biennale of Australian Art (BOAA), Lake Wendouree, (2017) Sediments: Karen Mills and Sarah Pirrie Cross Art Projects, Sydney,(2014) Terraforming at Nomad Gallery; (2014) 135th Meridian East curated by André Lawrence at the Australian Experimental Art Foundation (AEAF); (2014) Botanica & Botanica 2 curated by Cath Bowdler touring Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre and Chan Contemporary Art Space; (2014) Made to Last- the conservation of art curated by Sherryn Vardy at Charles Darwin University Art Gallery; (2012) Runoff at Northern Centre for Contemporary Art; (2012) Art or Cunning? Curated by Alice Buscombe at Watch this Space, (2012) Art on Wheels, curated by Siying Zhou throughout Darwin City; (2011) Cuttings, curated by Rosemary Joy at Linden Contemporary Art Space; (2011) Names on Trees (NOT Project) a Darwin Festival Events at the Jingili Watergardens.