‘Soft / Hard: radical love by R. Goo’, Curtin University Art Collection

Soft / Hard: radical love by R. Goo

3 June – 28 August 2022

Drawing from the Curtin University Art Collection, Soft/Hard: radical love by R. Goo responds to the theme of ‘Queering the Gallery’ through the unique perspective of the late multidisciplinary trans artist, Bec O’Neil, who worked under the pseudonym ‘R. Goo’. Through the Curtin Bachelor of Fine Art student placement program, he worked closely with the Collection in 2021. More recently, Collection Manager Lia McKnight has worked collaboratively with artist Beth Scholey to bring the exhibition to fruition.

O’Neil’s art practice explored trauma, queerness, alternate histories and futures and these themes are similarly drawn out in his curatorial approach to this exhibition. Covering a diverse range of media and approaches, there are close to 40 works created over a period of 50 years, many of which have not previously been shown at the John Curtin Gallery. Artists include Olga Cironis, Theo Costantino, Sidney Nolan, Lisa Reihana, Joan Ross, Christian Thompson, and Aida Tomescu. Drawing them all together is O’Neil’s vision of acceptance of ourselves and others in whatever shape or form we take.

2022 Soft/Hard: radical love by R. Goo