A P A R T

A P A R T continues Ally McKay’s long-term investigation into articulating strength, security and doubt through material arrangement. The conflicting anxieties of isolation and connection, intensified by the pandemic experience, are explored through paper, wood and text. What does it mean to be classed as essential, and what effect can this have on our self-worth? How do we adjust to new structures when they are constantly changing? And can we truly feel supported when we are alone? Exploring themes of reliance and compliance, McKay’s installations appear monolithic but are in fact precariously fragile, gaining strength only through the material’s repetition and connection.

Words by Miranda Hine.
Photos by Louis Lim.
Video documentation by Charlie Hillhouse.

The Project Gallery
7 - 23 April 2022
Queensland College of Art Galleries
Griffith University

Ally McKay, A P A R T II, 2022.
Wood and Paper cut wall installation, 30 cm x 20 cm x 8 cm.