Since 2005 Sabbia Gallery has championed the work of leading Australian artists specialising in glass, ceramics and fibre. These artists include Honor Freeman, Liam Fleming, Alfred Lowe, Jenni Kemarre Martiniello OAM, Jessica Loughlin and the late Kunmanara Carroll.
To celebrate its 20 years in March 2025, Sabbia presents twenty – an exhibition featuring than 50 works by past and present Sabbia artists who were invited to reflect on the seminal moments and creative turning points in their practice during their time with Sabbia and to create a new work inspired by these fresh directions.
“The combination of creativity and technical skill to achieve such extraordinary and unique work is what places our ceramics, glass and fibre artists among the most innovative in Australia,” said Sabbia founder and Director, Anna Grigson.
“With passion and drive they push their materials to extremes and new places. Developing original techniques and processes, they master these dynamics to share their stories and discoveries through their art.”
Since 2009 Sabbia has been working with and representing First Nations artists from remote art centres across the country specialising in glass and ceramics.
These artists, who exhibit under their own names, include Ernabella artists Rupert Jack and Carlene Thompson, Rona Panangka Rubuntja from Hermannburg Potters, and emerging Arrernte artist Alfred Lowe, whose hand built stoneware and raffia work All dressed up 1 won the $10,000 acquisitive MA Art Prize at Sydney Contemporary 2024, Australia’s premier art fair.
The Sabbia Mentorship and Solo Exhibition Prize has been offered to an outstanding National Art School Ceramics graduate for over 15 years. It has also offered the Sabbia Solo Exhibition Award to an emerging glass artist through the biennial Ausglass Conference for 20 years. In 2025 the gallery will introduce a new award for a University of Sydney Glass Graduate.
“Supporting the next generation of artists has been a focus of mine since the beginning. Being in a position to mentor and support new artists working in the fields of contemporary glass and ceramics over so many years has been a privilege,” said Grigson.
“This public program is an extension of the gallery’s long term relationship with these higher education institutions and organisations, and has expanded to include more key organisations in the glass, ceramics and fibre art sectors. Education is essential to the advancement of our artists’ careers.”
“The public program gives a wide audience the opportunity to immerse themselves in the incredible art of Sabbia’s artists and gain a greater understanding of their immense technical skill and creative achievements within Australia and overseas,” said Grigson.
As part of the twenty exhibition, Sabbia will launch an accompanying publication, SABBIA at 20: the next chapter, celebrating the last two decades with images and reflections from artists, collectors and curators who have contributed to the more than 280 exhibitions, opening nights, art fairs and public programs that Sabbia has presented since 2005.
Highlights include contributions from Grace Cochrane, Eva Czermis-Ryl (Powerhouse), Brian Parkes (JamFactory), Lisa Cahill (Australian Design Centre), Ivana Jirasek (Kultura) and Anna Grigson (Sabbia) as well as reflections from Sabbia’s artists on their time and achievements with the gallery.
Reflecting on the last twenty years, Grigson recalls many highlights. “One was curating and touring the Clay Stories exhibition (2017 to 2019 to seven Australian exhibition venues) which focused on contemporary ceramics from remote artists across Australia,” she said.
“Sabbia has worked with Indigenous artists since 2009, first in ceramics, then glass and fibre. We are proud to have been integral in achieving great success for many within their individual practices, and representing artists under their own name independent of the Art Centre umbrella.”
“Most recently Sabbia’s enormous success at Sydney Contemporary 2024 with three sell-out solo exhibitions. The spectacular response to our artists and presentation placed us amongst the finest galleries in Australia. It felt as though we had finally arrived,” said Grigson.
twenty
Sabbia Gallery, 609 Elizabeth Street, Redfern (Sydney)
Exhibition: 8 – 29 March 2025
Free entry
For more information, visit: www.sabbiagallery.com for details.
Images: Pippin Drysdale, Blue Enamel Orchid, 2024, ceramic – photo by Robert Frith | Anna Grigson and Alfred Lowe at Sydney Contemporary 2024 (supplied)