Hold Sway

Rhys Cousins and Emma X Zhang present a multidisciplinary exhibition featuring sculpture, video projections and multimedia installations in Maroondah Federation Estate Gallery, viewed from 16 September until 1 November 2024, curated by Gareth Syvret or Andrew Duong.

See Rhys Cousins’ works

Selected Photography by Astrid Mulder

‘The revealing that holds sway in modern technology does not unfold of a bringing-forth in the sense of poiesis.’ — Heidegger

Hold Sway explores the tension between revealing and concealing, between making and mediating, through the distinct yet complementary works.

Cousins’ art embodies the essence of poiesis—the act of bringing something into being through the maker’s hand. His work reveals the inherent qualities of the materials he uses, emphasising weight, texture, and the marks of craftsmanship.

In contrast, EXZ’s digital works and video projections delve into a realm where reality is manipulated and abstracted through technology. Her visual narratives explore digital ecosystems, where the natural world is transformed as it moves from physical form to digital representation, addressing the sense of alienation Heidegger discusses.

Together, these works invite viewers to question whether we are moving toward a deeper connection with our surroundings or drifting further away through technological mediation. This exhibition offers a space for reflecting on how these different modes of creation shape our understanding of the world.

Light Painting Workshop – Public Program

Opening night for Hold Sway

performance act by Dylan Marelic, a semi improvised performance with analog electronic equipment layered over a collection of field recordings

performance act by @jahan.xanlu playing an electroacoustic improvised piece to accompany the projection ‘biolumi-morphosis’ & sculpture ‘landscape swallows video’ with live samples, unpredictability to explore the converging ideas of perfection between the digital and analogue worlds.