Wendy Sharpe: Into the Dark

Wendy Sharpe brings a solo exhibition to The Lock-Up on Hunter Street, running from 18 July to 13 September. It's called Into the Dark, and it's a big one: new commissions, a live-painted mural, and immersive labyrinthine installations that you walk through rather than just look at. There's also a public program of curated talks, workshops, and live performances running alongside the show, so it's more of a season than a single visit.

If you're not familiar with her, Sharpe is one of Australia's most acclaimed artists, with a career that's spanned Sydney and Paris. She's picked up the Archibald Prize, the Sulman Prize, and the Portia Geach Memorial Award, and in 2024 she was named a Member of the Order of Australia. She's also worked as an Official War Artist for the Australian War Memorial — the first woman to hold the role since World War II — and has painted major public murals, like the ones at the Cook and Philip Park Aquatic Centre.

Into the Dark is described as a pinnacle of her practice, and she's framed it as a response to the things weighing on us right now: war, the climate crisis, and the decline of truth. It's not a light subject, but that's what the title points to — going into the dark rather than avoiding it. The live-painted mural means the work changes while it's on display, and the labyrinthine installations turn the gallery into something you move through, so it's worth coming back more than once to see how it's evolving.

The Lock-Up is at 90 Hunter Street, Muloobinba/Newcastle, and the exhibition runs from 18 July through to 13 September. With the talks, workshops, and performances spread across those weeks, you've got plenty of time to work your way through it.