Sha Sarwari
Bio
Sha Sarwari, a Hazara born in Afghanistan is multidisciplinary visual artist. His artistic practice encompasses a diverse range of mediums, through his work, Sarwari intricately weaves together allegorical layers, resulting in a visual experience that evokes poetic sense. His work captures the essence of a liminal space, a realm suspended between two worlds, longing and belonging, with a pointed reference to the sociopolitical discourse around, migration, identity, place, memory, nationhood, and personal lived experience. In his recent works Sarwari intentionally imbeds the visual aesthetic of Farsi scrip ‘Nastaliq’. By incorporating this distinctive script into his work, he not only pays homage to his cultural heritage but also utilizes its visual aesthetic to echo and convey a deeper conceptual meanings and narratives. Sha holds and an Honours degree in Visual Arts from Victoria College of Arts, Melbourne University (2018), a Bachelor of Fine Art from the Queensland College of Arts, Griffith University (2015), a diploma of Graphic Design from TAFE (2005). in 2020 Sha was one of the recipients of Incinerator Art Award; art for social change, in 2018 he was awarded the Fiona Myer Award for excellence at VCA, Melbourne University, In 2017 he was awarded Most Critically Engaged Work at CCP Salon, Australian Centre for Photography, Sha is the recipient of the inaugural prize of 2016 ‘Home’ art prize The Walker Street Gallery & Arts Centre, In 2015 Sha was awarded High commendation at The Churchie National Emerging Art Prize.
Education
2018 Honours in Visual Arts, Victoria College of Arts (VCA), Melbourne University 2015 Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art, Queensland College of Art (QCA), Griffith University 2005 Diploma in Graphic Design, TAFE Queensland 2023 ‘Archaeology of Memory’ Logan Art Gallery 2023 ‘Archaeology of Memory’ Carpark Gallery, Brisbane 2022 ‘Vernacular’ Outer Space, Brisbane 2021 ‘Beyond the Rhetoric’ Incinerator Gallery, Melbourne 2021 ‘Archaeology of Memory’ Firstdraft, Sydney 2020 ‘Against the time’ Online live performance 2020 'Like a Moth to a Flame' Adderton House, Brisbane 2018 ‘NOWHERE’ Testing Ground, Melbourne 2018 ‘Alien Nations’ Incinerator Gallery, Melbourne 2017 ‘Silent Conversation’ Logan Art Gallery 2015 ‘Silent Conversation’ Jugglers Arts Space, Brisbane 2022 ‘Place’ Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, Melbourne 2022 10th Asia Pacific Triennial, Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), Brisbane 2021 'RE/SET' RMIT First Site Gallery, Melbourne 2021 'Place' Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub, Melbourne 2021 ‘Flora’ Heritage Hill Museum, Dandenong 2020 Incinerator Art Award, Incinerator Gallery, Melbourne 2020 ‘Sculpture in Goal’, online exhibition 2019‘THE END/FUTURE OF HISTORY’ The SUBSTATION, Melbourne 2019 ‘Home’ Walker Street Art Gallery Dandenong 2019 ‘Illusion’ Kerry Packer Civic Gallery and Nexus Arts Gallery at the Lion Arts Centre, Adelaide 2019 ‘These Words’ Kings ARI, Melbourne 2019 ‘BEAUT19' Outer Space ARI, Brisbane 2019 ‘Journey Through Life’ Hatch Contemporary Art Space, Melbourne 2018 ‘Blacktown Art Prize’ Blacktown Art Space, Blacktown
Solo Exhibition
Group Exhibition
2018 ‘In con-TEXT’ Hatch Contemporary Art Space, Melbourne 2018 ‘Constant Craving – Earthly Delight’ Eramboo Artist Environment, Sydney 2018 ‘Made in Australia’ VCA Art Space, Melbourne University, Melbourne 2017 ‘Swell Sculpture Festival', Gold Coast 2016 ‘Erehwon: from nowhere to Now Here’ POP Gallery, Brisbane 2016 ‘Refugee Exhibition' Jugglers Art Space Brisbane 2016 ‘Home and Art Exhibition and Prize’ Walker Street Art Gallery, Dandenong 2016 ‘Finding Home’ Logan Art Gallery, Logan 2015 ‘The Churchie National Merging Art Prize’ Griffith University Art Gallery, Brisbane 2014 ‘GAS’ Griffith University Art Gallery, Brisbane 2014 ‘Me+You+Us+Them’ QCA Project Gallery, Brisbane 2013 ‘Arrival’ QCA Webb Gallery, Brisbane 2022 Logan City RADF recepient 2020 Incinerator Art Award (art for social Change) 2018 Fiona Myer Award for Excellence VCA Melbourne University 2017 Most Critically Engaged Work, Australian Centre for Photography salon 2016 Logan City Council RADF, recepeient 2016 Home and Art Exhibition Prize, Dandenong City Council 2015 Highly Commended, the Churchie National Merging Art Prize 2014 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence, Griffith University 2013 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence, Griffith University Griffith University Art Museum, Brisbane QLD Logan Art Gallery, Logan City Council, QLD Counihan Gallery, Merri-bek City Council, VIC Banyule City Council, VIC Private Collections, Australia