Fabian Pertzel was raised surrounded by the farmland of New South Wales mid-coast and is currently working from the northern rivers where he is completing a Bachelor of Art and Design at Southern Cross University. The young emerging artist has used his time at university to Study sculpture and develop a conceptual framework for his practice, drawing on his experiences of growing up queer in rural Australia he situates his practice in the greater context of queer history and theory. This investigation into non-heteronormative social identities and contemporary culture has informed much of his work but he resists being defined by these limitations as many of these ideas intersect with seemingly unrelated aspects of today’s culture and technology.
Fabian has received a Small Grant from PFA in support of ‘Exhale, in forward motion,’ an exhibition of LGBTQIA+ artists whose work centres the experience Queer regional and rural Australians. Thematically focused on storytelling, each work must communicate some form of narrative, collectively expressing the diverse nature of queer life outside larger cities that are overly represented in contemporary media and art.
This project also includes partnerships with ACON who will provide health and safety resources and deliver a program of 3 reading groups themed around Queer literature and poetry, theory, and regional history from the Bundjalung area. This project will open on March 6, 2024 supporting up to 12 artists and creating a safe and healthy space for the expression of queer identity.
