Launch: Wednesday 21 May 6–8PM

bone-deep explores persistent pain and hidden disability through an installation of tiles of soy wax—a material as sensitive to human touch as a body in pain. Each tile is poured, carved and softened by the artist’s hand, replicating the tedious process of tending to a chronically ill body. The chemical stability of each tile is compromised, with incorporated ointments and creams used in everyday pain management causing discolouration and textural difference, and imbuing the wax with remedial scents. These subtle points of fragility reinforce notions of ‘invisible’ or hidden disabilities and the often-undetectable nature of pain to outside observers.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Soph Gibson is a Magandjin/Brisbane based artist, currently undertaking a Master of Philosophy with the School of Creative Practice at QUT. Their practice-led research applies crip theories to contemporary installation practice, considering sculptural objects as surrogate bodies for embodiments of chronic pain and disability. Their lived experiences as a gender-queer person with disability and chronic pain inform their work as an artist, researcher, arts educator and gallery worker.

Image credit: Soph Gibson, bone-deep, 2025, artist's photo, dimensions variable.