Bio
Zara Collins art practice explores themes of longing, memory and the material trace. She is a multidisciplinary artist, predominantly working with porcelain and paper.
She is completing an MFA at National Art School and holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Sydney College of the Arts, Sydney University. Zara has been awarded an Ian Potter Foundation Cultural Grant, and has continued to expand her practice through residencies including; Australia-China Council Residency in Beijing, China, Bundanon Artist Residency, Goulburn Regional Art Gallery Artist Residency, Wollongong Creative Spaces Residency and NSW Ministry for the Arts six month residency at the Gunnery.
She has been a finalist in numerous international award exhibitions; including Talente, Munich, Germany, Young Glass at the Ebbeltoft Museum, Denmark and the Japanese Jewellery Competition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Japan. Zara won first prize at the GAS International Student Exhibition in Brooklyn, New York during her undergraduate studies in Glass.
She has held eight solo exhibitions, multiple group exhibitions and been a finalist in numerous Australian art awards including the Ravenswood Women’s Art Prize, Meroogal Women’s Art Prize, Hobart Art Prize, Contemporary Wearables 2001, 2015 & 2017, Gold Coast International Ceramic Award and the Naked and Nude Award in 2013 and 2015 at Manning Regional Art Gallery to name a few. Zara works from her home studio on the Illawarra coast.
“Working between porcelain and paper, I investigate notions of memory, childhood and the relationship between people and objects. Through my creative practice, I seek to evoke forgotten memories, bittersweet recollections and a longing for the past. By delving into the interplay between sensory perception, memory, and imagination, my work aims to bridge the past and the present. Inviting viewers to engage with their own personal narratives, reflection, introspection, and a renewed appreciation for the beauty of forgotten moments.”