Exhibition: Dai Trang Nguyen, alONEness - một

Adele Sliuzas ·

Image: Dai Trang Nguyen

October 17 - November 28, 2025

Opening Event: Friday October 31, 5:30-7:30pm

Gallery II, 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta

Free entry, all welcome

  • You can find Dai Trang’s exhibition in The Mill’s Gallery II, located at 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta (Adelaide).

    Gallery II is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.

    Accessibility

    The Mill has two entrances, the main entrance on the corner of Angas and Gunson Street and an accessible entrance further down Angas Street.

    Both doors are locked from the outside, there is a doorbell on the main door that will alert The Mill team. They will meet you at the accessible entrance to welcome you into the building.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

The Mill is excited to present alONEness - một , a new exhibition of sculptures and installations by Vietnamese artist Dai Trang Nguyen. Developed through The Mill’s Kayangan Residency, with support from donors Geoff Martin and Sorayya Mahmood Martin, the exhibition explores identity, connection, and the spaces between, using mindfulness as a compass. một, meaning “one” in Vietnamese, reflects Dai Trang’s journey through aloneness, loneliness, and oneness.  The work flows from a place of authenticity and vulnerability, where the tension between solitude and connection becomes visible.

Through large-scale textile-based sculptures, she transforms the gallery into a multifaceted environment. The installation embodies the solidity of being alone, the struggles of isolation and the universal longing for connection. It invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences of being alone and together, offering a quiet moment of shared understanding amidst life’s chaos. 

  • Dai Trang is a Vietnamese artist and designer based in Kaurna Country whose creative journey spans the UK, Vietnam, and Australia. With a foundation in graphic design, her work radiates vibrancy and a profound connection to colour.

    During the solitude of the COVID-19 pandemic, art became her sanctuary, a way to delve into self-discovery and expression. This transformative period led to her first solo exhibition in Vietnam, exploring themes of self-identity. Inspired by this milestone, she moved to South Australia in 2022 to pursue contemporary art, embracing experimentation and deepening her artistic practice.

    Living far from home has enriched her connection to her heritage and mindfulness practices. Deeply influenced by mindfulness and Buddhism, her work has evolved from structured design to an intuitive, meditative process she calls Moment Art. Rooted in the present moment, by letting go of judgment and pre-determined notions, she lets life unfold naturally through painting, textiles and found objects.

    After three years of solitary practice for self-understanding, Dai Trang has recently begun sharing her work in the local art scene. Her creations reflect her inner journey, inviting viewers to pause, reflect, and connect with their innermost selves.

This exhibition has support from

ozasia residency

OzAsia Festival Residency: Sulochana Dissanayake

chloe metcalfe ·

The Mill is thrilled to announce Sulochana Dissanayake as the recipient of the OzAsia Festival Residency for 2025.

Sulochana will be collaborating with Dinuka Liyanawatte for this residency.

This is a creative development and presentation platform available to South Australian performing artists working with contemporary culture. The aim of the residency is to offer place and space as part of a vibrant arts community for artists to develop and show new or existing work.

About the artist:

  • Sulochana Dissanayake, founder and artistic director of Power of Play (PVT) LTD, is dedicated to creating works that reflect identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion while advocating for social change.

    With a cum laude degree in Economics and Theater from Bates College (2009), she combines her expertise in theater, directing, puppetry and writing to craft experiences that engage and challenge audiences on critical societal issues.

    Dissanayake’s experience with leading theatres in the U.S. (Guthrie Theater and Williamstown Theater Festival) has shaped her approach to performance as a powerful tool for social advocacy. She uses creative and interactive methods to spark conversations around cultural and social divides. A Watson Fellowship recipient (2009/10), she traveled to South Africa and Indonesia to explore how performance can foster community engagement and cross-cultural understanding. Her work in Sri Lanka focuses on empowering marginalized voices and promoting social justice through the arts.

    In 2024, Dissanayake migrated to Adelaide with the hope of expanding Power of Play to Australia for intercontinental collaborations. Dissanayake remains active in both countries & capitalises her experience in USA, Europe, Africa and Asia to customise unique communication solutions for communities of South Australia & Sri Lanka. For more information visit www.linkedin.com/in/sulochana-d

Photographer: Bri Hammond

This residency has support from

 
 

dance residency

Dance Residency 2025: Erin Fowler

chloe metcalfe ·

The Mill is thrilled to announce Erin Fowler as the recipient of the Dance Residency for 2025.

Erin will be collaborating with South Australian performing artists including Will Spartalis, Hew Parham, Sam McMahon, Jazzy Williamson-Grey and Zoe Dunwoodie.

This is a creative development and presentation platform available to South Australian performing artists working with contemporary culture. The aim of the residency is to offer place and space as part of a vibrant arts community for artists to develop and show new or existing work.

About the artist:

  • Erin Fowler is an award-winning dance and physical theatre maker, performer, musician, and educator based on Kaurna Yerta. She creates and presents deeply feminine, audience driven, socially minded work and blends together an eclectic mix of contemporary dance, feminine movement, clowning, cabaret and martial arts.

    Erin’s choreographic highlights include her two award winning solo works, EGG and FEMME, which toured to festivals globally; Gen-y commissioned for the Adelaide Dance Festival; and Epoch created on Australian Dance Theatre for their Ignition season.

    As a performer she has collaborated on The Sight by on Victoria Falconer (Dark Mofo Festival), and The Vali Myers Project: And Then We Go (Adelaide Cabaret Festival, 2022) and with companies and artists including BalletLab, Patch Theatre Company and independent artists Lina Limosani, Monte Massi, Ben Brooker & Teddy Dunn (Act Now Theatre) and Larissa McGowan.

    She was the movement director for Rebecca Meston’s HITS (Adelaide Festival Centre, 2024) and is currently directing and choreographing Joanne Hartstone's upcoming Adelaide Cabaret Festival show, The Smart Girl's Guide to Breaking Up.

Photographer: Bri Hammond

This residency has support from

 
 

theatre residency

Theatre Residency 2025: Katherine Sortini

chloe metcalfe ·

The Mill is thrilled to announce Katherine Sortini as the recipient of the Theatre Residency for 2025.

Katherine will be collaborating with Nate Troisi, Elizabeth Hay, Caroline Reid and Steven Durrey for this residency.

This is a creative development and presentation platform available to South Australian performing artists working with contemporary culture. The aim of the residency is to offer place and space as part of a vibrant arts community for artists to develop and show new or existing work.

About the artist:

  • Katherine is founder of award-winning independent theatre company Deus Ex Femina. She currently works as a freelance creative working as an actor, playwright, spoken-word poet, director, producer and dramaturg.

    She is the current 2023 South Australian Spoken Word Champion. She has written, produced, acted and directed original award-winning shows All the Things I Couldn’t Say and Dirty Energy. In 2023, Katherine was nominated for the 7 News Young Achiever Award and was selected to be a finalist. Her piece, Heroes, was chosen for The Intersection Festival in Sydney in 2021 and was published by Currency Press in Intersection;Unleashed.

Photographer: Bri Hammond

This residency has support from

 
 

first nations residency

First Nations Dance Residency 2025: Kaine Sultan Babij

chloe metcalfe ·

The Mill is thrilled to announce Kaine Sultan-Babij as the recipient of the First Nations Dance Residency for 2025.

Kaine will be collaborating with Liam Somerville and Sascha Budimski for this residency.

This is a creative development and presentation platform available to South Australian performing artists working with contemporary culture. The aim of the residency is to offer place and space as part of a vibrant arts community for artists to develop and show new or existing work.

About the artist:

  • Arrernte and Gurindji Contemporary Dance Artist, Kaine Sultan-Babij, is making a lasting impact on the world of dance and drag.

    With a background that includes performing with Leigh Warren and Dancers, Bangarra Dance Theatre, and the Australian Dance Theatre, Kaine has skilfully blended Contemporary Dance and Contemporary Indigenous Dance. Based in Kaurna Country, Kaine stands as an Independent Dancer and Choreographer, contributing to the vibrant Australian performing arts scene.

    Beyond Kaine's achievements in the dance world, the emergence of Estelle, a captivating Drag Performer and Persona, has added another layer to their artistic repertoire. Estelle quickly gained recognition, establishing herself as a standout performer in the Adelaide Drag Scene. Through electrifying performances, Estelle has earned a respected place in the realm of drag.

    Together, Kaine and Estelle embody a powerful fusion of Tradition, creativity, and contemporary expression, making a lasting impression on the dance and drag communities in Australia.

Photographer: Bri Hammond

 

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.

 

Exhibition: Erin Renfrey, Once Upon a Lemon Drop

Adele Sliuzas ·

Image: Erin Renfrey, Past, Present and Future (Elspeth, Harold and Doris)

July 18 - September 5, 2025

Opening Event: Friday July 18, 5:30-7:30pm

Gallery II, 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta

Free entry, all welcome

  • You can find Erin’s exhibition in The Mill’s Gallery II, located at 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta (Adelaide).

    Gallery II is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.

    Accessibility

    The Mill has two entrances, the main entrance on the corner of Angas and Gunson Street and an accessible entrance further down Angas Street.

    Both doors are locked from the outside, there is a doorbell on the main door that will alert The Mill team. They will meet you at the accessible entrance to welcome you into the building.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

For SALA 2025 we are excited to present Once Upon a Lemon Drop, a new solo exhibition by watercolour artist Erin Renfrey. Invoking a sense of childlike curiosity, Erin’s compositions encourage us to see the world through new eyes. Familiar and friendly faces co-exist with unexpected, sinister and uncanny characters, and just like a Grimm fairytale, we are drawn into a conversation about social mores and societal expectations.

  • In Once Upon a Lemon Drop, I am presenting a collection of new, intriguing watercolour paintings. My work reveals an otherworldly journey through the lives of fantastical creatures as they search for communion with each other and the universe. Hieronymus Bosch, theatre, and vintage illustrations are just some of my sources of inspiration.

    My process involves meticulously layering watercolour on paper and panel to create colourful and eye-catching imagery. Each work begins with daydreaming and doodling, which becomes conceptually realised through thrifted toys and handmade miniatures, functioning as a guide for form, light and shadow, and composition.

  • Erin is an emerging artist based on Kaurna Land. She commenced her Bachelor of Creative Arts at Flinders University and Adelaide College of the Arts in 2020 and graduated in 2023. In the same year she was selected for the Helpmann Graduate Exhibition, receiving the Hill Smith Art Advisory Award and Square Holes Award. She has since been a finalist in the Adelaide Parklands Art Prize and exhibited at BMGArt, Collective Haunt and St. Peters Town Hall.

    Erin is currently a studio resident at The Mill.

This exhibition has support from

Exhibition: In Reflection: In Response, curated by Stella Martino

Adele Sliuzas ·

Image: Filling in the Blank(et) - Stitching Stories by Elina Priha, Eline Gaudé, Stella Martino, Anna Kozonina, Martta Nieminen, Onerva Heikka

July 18 - September 5, 2025

Opening Event: Friday, July 18, 5:30-7:30pm

Gallery I, 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta

Free entry, all welcome

  • You can find In Reflection: In Response in The Mill’s Gallery I, located at 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta (Adelaide).

    Gallery I is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.

    Accessibility

    The Mill has two entrances, the main entrance on the corner of Angas and Gunson Street and an accessible entrance further down Angas Street.

    Both doors are locked from the outside, there is a doorbell on the main door that will alert The Mill team. They will meet you at the accessible entrance to welcome you into the building.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

For SALA 2025 The Mill is excited to present In Reflection: In Response, a new group exhibition curated by Stella Martino, featuring the work of five South Australian artists; Shani Engelbrecht (textiles), Calamity Tash (textiles), Carman Skeehan (glass), Lotte Schwerdtfeger (ceramics) and Yana Lehey (sculpture). In Reflection: In Response has been developed through a collaborative, community-driven component led by Stella, who sites Ursula Le Guin’s essay The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction in the conceptual underpinning of the exhibition.

For each of the artists, this exhibition has been an opportunity to come together, share ideas, collaborate, form communal bonds and develop their work. We’re excited to see the artists’ process, both in their individual practices and in creating collaborative work, showcased together in the gallery.

  • In Reflection: In Response is an exploration in storytelling and community-based practices. It includes a collaborative, community-driven artist development component, alongside an exhibition and public program presented during SALA Festival.

    Ursula Le Guin wrote an essay called The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction that challenges the idea of stories that centre one individual. Instead, Le Guin offers the viewpoint that stories are a collection of things and moments gathered over time. Le Guin uses the term ‘carrier bag’ as a figurative and literal image of how we collect things and put them in a vessel to save for a time when those things are shared amongst others. In Reflection: In Response brings five artists into a three-month residency guided by me at The Mill, where the group will cultivate and share ideas, collaborate, form communal bonds and develop their work for the exhibition. The residency will culminate in one communal piece of work, and individual or collaborative pieces from the artists in response using their chosen medium/s. The communal piece will be a take on patchwork quilting, with each artist hand-sewing a piece of recycled, locally sourced fabric, which will be sewn together at the end of the residency. The outcome of the residency and the artists’ interactions with form will become a physical manifestation of the time we spend together, sharing our thoughts, knowledge, practice and stories: our carrier bag.

  • Stella Martino is an emerging curator and writer originally from Dharug/Sydney, now based in Tarndanya/Adelaide. Stella completed her Master of Arts (in Visual Cultures, Curating and Contemporary Art) from Aalto University in Finland in 2023. Since then, Stella has undertaken a curatorial internship at The Mill under the mentorship of visual arts curator Adele Sliuzas. While studying in Finland, Stella co-curated and was a participating artist in the group exhibition Ghost Elephant Stitches in the Snow and co-created and developed the community arts and recipe book Recipes for Resilience and Care in the Climate Emergency. Stella is interested in queer ecologies and how the more-than-human interacts with their environments and in art. Her master's thesis aimed to understand how various forms of memory inform storytelling and their impact on our well-being. Through her research and previous projects, Stella also explores the benefits of community care practices within and beyond art spaces.

  • Shani Engelbrecht (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist of Indo-Fijian and Scottish-Irish heritage, creating and living on Kaurna Land, South Australia. She holds an Honours degree in Visual Arts (2022) and a Bachelor of Creative Arts (2021) from Flinders University. Her work predominantly explores her identity and sense of belonging in the space she grew up in. Race and identity are at the core of Engelbrecht’s practice as she interrogates the incidences of racism experienced by people of colour daily. By using performance, photography, video, drawing and painting, her work blends traditional and contemporary techniques to convey the duality of her upbringing and to reflect on the feelings of otherness. Engelbrecht has shown works in multiple exhibitions including Art That Walks OFF the Walls (Goodwood Theatre & Studios 2024), Hatched: National Graduate Show Exhibition (Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts 2023), not white/not brown (FELTspace 2023).

  • Calamity Tash, local queer Craft Wizard, believes art is for everyone and is most passionate about inclusivity and accessibility to the creative arts. Over the last decade Tash has been skill sharing with communities across the globe. The spreading of craft joy will continue as Tash becomes an enthusiastic resident at The Mill. Tash’s signature sparkle and use of whimsical dolls have been her wearable art trademark. Calamity Tash joins us on a journey of self expression and discovery. Her private studio will see the creation of many a weird and wonderful thing.

  • Carman Skeehan is a glass artist and maker, living in Adelaide, South Australia. Having completed the Jam Factory associate program in 2023, Carman has hit a milestone in her work, elevating her artistic practice. Guided by the meticulous creative process, Carman centres her work on the art of storytelling through glass, exploring the intersection of narrative and materials. Skeehan draws inspiration from early oil paintings and still lifes, creating a unique likeness in glass materials. Her work is an exploration of these elements, seamlessly blending them to create unique and compelling pieces of art.

  • Lotte Schwerdtfeger is an artist and is currently a studio tenant at the JamFactory Ceramics Studio, Tarndanya/Adelaide. She is materially led across many mediums, being consistently drawn to ceramic processes. Lotte hand builds ceramics, coiling and pinching both functional, sculptural and installation works; combining tendrils of research which span anthropology, biology, symbolism and revelry in the small psychedelic moments of existence. Lotte is delighted by the alchemical and elemental processes of ceramics. She is always intrigued by the role of objects, quotidian and ritual, in defining and connecting human and nonhuman experiences. Lotte is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts; regularly working on commission, collaborative projects and gallery exhibitions. Where possible all materials are salvaged, reused and recycled, working towards a zero waste practice.

  • Yana Lehey is an environmentally motivated visual artist based on Kaurna land. Her practice spans various mediums, covering drawing, painting, and sculpture, depending on what a project calls for. Most recently, she has applied a textile approach to petroleum-based waste materials like plastic and rubber on a large scale, creating oversized crocheted sculptural works. She developed the necessary techniques as an accessible means for every person to tackle the waste problem without the need for expensive technology and infrastructure. Yana’s interest in environmental art first started to gain traction in 2020, with her first solo exhibition Face Up, featuring monumentally scaled watercolour portraits of nine young climate activists from diverse cultural backgrounds with diverse approaches. The research behind this project formed the basis for Yana’s current practice.

This exhibition has support from

centre stage residency

Adelaide Fringe 2025: Poppy Mee, 'PSYCHOPOMP'

chloe metcalfe ·

Photo: Daniel Marks.

Adelaide Fringe 2025

When: February 28 - March 16

Where: The Breakout at The Mill, 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta

Cost: From $22-32

Duration: 60 minutes

  • PSYCHOPOMP will be held in The Breakout at The Mill. Please come to the foyer at 154 Angas Street, the bar will be open to grab a drink before we take you through to The Breakout.

    Accessibility

    Disability access is available via our Angas St entrance, access the pedestrian ramp on the corner of Gunson St to get to our front door, which will be open.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

    If you have questions or would like to talk to one of The Mill team contact info@themilladelaide.com

The God Between Life and Death, Conductor of Souls, Usher of Oblivion, is visiting living souls for the first time through the vessel of a lowly mortal - Poppy! Existential as heck, real Stygian energy,  a divine exploration of the meaning human beings bring to their own precious, fleeting existence.

With the support of The Mill, Poppy has enlisted a dream team of local Adelaide theatre-makers, artists and Intense Characters to bring the full production of PSYCHOPOMP screamingly to life. Audiences can expect bodily functions, games, storytelling, all through the eyes of an insensitive, arrogant god and a upsettingly human intermediary.

“A script both witty and wise delivered in a flawlessly clear presentation.” David Cronin, The Clothesline ★★★★

“Psychopomp is a triumph of clowning and storytelling. It’s a show that dares to be both raunchy and sincere, mad and meaningful.” Moss Meunier, Binge Fringe ★★★★

“Poppy’s movement is exacting throughout, with her alternating between her and the deity character at times as subtle as a change in stance.” Gianluca Noble, InDaily ★★★★

This show was developed through The Mill’s Centre Stage Residency, in partnership with Adelaide Fringe.

  • Poppy Mee is an actor, writer and theatre-maker working on unceded Kaurna land. Since completing her undergraduate training at ACArts in 2017, she has worked as an actor and writer on numerous local and interstate stage and screen projects.

    Credits include Heavy Red, Lucy and DiC and Stateless. In 2019 she was the recipient of a Carclew Fellowship to study theatre-making at Fourth Monkey in London, resulting in her first solo project, A Slight Exaggeration, which premiered at The Mill for Adelaide Fringe 2021. As a member of RUMPUS Theatre she performed in various productions as well as serving as co-head writer on Hamlet In The Other Room (2021).

    Poppy recently undertook specialist training at L'Ecole Philippe Gaulier in France, studying Le Jeu and clowning performance technique. Her second solo work, PSYCHOPOMP: A Cordial Evening with the Messenger God of Hope and Doom, premiered its initial season at The Courtyard of Curiosities at Adelaide Fringe 2024, and is currently holding its second creative development for Fringe 2025, with support from Adelaide Fringe and The Mill. Poppy is a proud MEAA member.

 
 

centre stage residency

Adelaide Fringe 2025: Praise Mangena, 'Art is the Medium'

chloe metcalfe ·

Photo: Morgan Sette.

Adelaide Fringe 2025

When: February 28 - March 16

Where: The Breakout at The Mill, 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta

Cost: From $20-30

Duration: 60 minutes

  • Art is the Medium will be held in The Breakout at The Mill. Please come to the foyer at 154 Angas Street, the bar will be open to grab a drink before we take you through to The Breakout.

    Accessibility

    Disability access is available via our Angas St entrance, access the pedestrian ramp on the corner of Gunson St to get to our front door, which will be open.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

    If you have questions or would like to talk to one of The Mill team contact info@themilladelaide.com

"Dear Lover", she begins to speak, unseen, her disembodied consciousness extending an invite into a world of creation.

The music plays, each string and key carefully woven as the words are truthfully spoken: "No longer just an incarnation, I am the threads in words that spell out the birth of Nubian Queen."

Curious? Come and see Praise Mangena in a collaborative project of music, movement and spoken word poetry. 

“Such a wonderful and intimate performance which will leave you so impressed! Definitely a must see!” Adelaide Fringe Audience Feed, Hidden Gem

“Every Fringe there is at least one show I absolutely fall in love with, and this year it's Art is the Medium, a spectacular masterpiece of music, spoken word, and physical performance. With beautiful poetry about love, dreams, and time, performer Praise Mangena takes us to bewitching, relatable places from our past and our fantasies. Every line she speaks has a captivating sense of gravitas which, when combined with her slow and deliberate body movements, is simply hypnotising.” Adelaide Adventurer

This show was developed through The Mill’s Centre Stage Residency, in partnership with Adelaide Fringe.

  • Praise Mangena is a multidisciplinary performing artist, based in Kaurna Country-Adelaide, with strong interests in dance and poetry. Over the last three years she has featured in a variety of events and performances such as Word on the Street Vol. 2 (2024), Draw Your (S)words (2024), SA Playwrights Reading Night (2022/24), Mixed Bag Poetry (2023), Soul Lounge (2023), JAUMA FEST (2023) and WOMAD (2022). 

    This year, she debuted as a music video director under the company of Adverse Reign for ‘KABALA’ (by Magajie) and this sets as a continuation of her exploration in art now adding script writing as a skill. She’s continued her work as a creative director in the company playing an integral role in the success of the most recent live show of Word on the Street Vol. 2 which was featured Live at the Lab during the 2024 Illuminate Adelaide Winter Festival. 

    Her journey continues as she prepares to officially launch her project ‘Art is the Medium’ at The Mill Adelaide with musicians Jack Green and Vanté Kay for the 2025 Fringe season. 

 
 

photog in res

Photographer in Residence 2025: Carmen Alcedo

Adele Sliuzas ·

The Mill is thrilled to announce Carmen Alcedo as the recipient of the Photographer in Residence program for 2025. Presented in partnership with the Ana and Christopher Koch Foundation Fund, Carmen will receive a 12-month studio space in 2025 and an exhibition outcome as part of The Mill’s Visual Arts Program in 2026.

About the artist:

  • Carmen Alcedo is a Spanish-born freelance photographer based in Adelaide, South Australia, with a background as a lawyer.

    With over seven years of experience in professional photography, her work focuses on storytelling, capturing personal narratives and intimate moments through both portrait and documentary photography.

    Carmen's artistic practice explores themes of identity, transformation, and human connection, often delving into how we relate to our environment and the people around us. She combines technical proficiency with emotional depth to create visual narratives that resonate with the viewer.

    Carmen's exhibitions include Imaginary Journeys (SALA 2024), currently on display at Cherrybomb Cafe in Adelaide, and participation in the group exhibition TEACHERS, LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE at 229LAB in Paris (2024). She has also exhibited in the Hybrid Art Fair (2016-2018) and the Affordable Art Fair in Sydney (2022).

    Currently, Carmen is involved in community-driven art projects in the Brompton Community Garden, where she collaborates with others to create work that fosters connection and environmental awareness.

Photo: Bri Hammond

 

The Photographer in Residence program is presented in partnership with the Ana and Christopher Koch Foundation Fund.

 

writers in residence

Writer in Residence 2025: Steph Daughtry

Adele Sliuzas ·

The Mill is thrilled to announce Steph Daughtry as the recipient of the 2025 Writer in Residence.

The Writer in Residence program, in partnership with CityMag, supports emerging writers from a variety of disciplines. The program creates a broader audience for writing through leadership, mentorship and publication.

About the writer:

  • Steph is an award winning cross-disciplinary artist, producer, director, and writer working predominantly in live performance and installation.

    Specialising in collaborative and devised forms of theatre that explore social and environmental impacts, her credits include Brag Drunch (Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2023), The Fish Bowl (Best Theatre and Physical Theatre Award at the Adelaide Fringe in 2022), and Eating Tomorrow (Sustainability Award Adelaide Fringe 2021).

    Steph works as an independent freelance artist, as well as in her role as the co-Founder and co-Artistic Director of production company Post Dining, producing award-winning, innovative forms of entertainment and education designed to engage all the senses.

    Steph is currently completing her PhD as part of Uni SA Creative exploring the impact of cultural policy on the capacity for artists to engage in professional practice. As part of this research Steph has published in the Journal of Sociology exploring the impact of arts funding, and has previously written for Felt Space as part of their writers program, and published pieces in Fine Print magazine and The Skinny (Edinburgh). Steph looks forward to using her residency to translate her research into smaller digestible pieces that engage with the artistic community at The Mill and wider Adelaide. 

Photo: Bri Hammond

 

The Writer in Residence program is presented in partnership with CityMag.

 

gallery I, public program, photog in res outcomes

Exhibition: Bri Hammond, Object Permanence

Adele Sliuzas ·

Image: Happy Times, by Bri Hammond

January 27 - March 28, 2025

Artist talk: Friday March 7, 12-1pm

Gallery I, 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta

Free entry, all welcome

  • You can find Object Permanence in The Mill’s Gallery I, located at 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta (Adelaide).

    Gallery I is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.

    Accessibility

    The Mill has two entrances, the main entrance on the corner of Angas and Gunson Street and an accessible entrance further down Angas Street.

    Both doors are locked from the outside, there is a doorbell on the main door that will alert The Mill team. They will meet you at the accessible entrance to welcome you into the building.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

The Mill is excited to present Object Permanence, a new exhibition by Bri Hammond developed through The Mill’s Photographer in Residence program, presented with support from the Ana and Christopher Koch Foundation.

For Object Permanence Bri has developed a personal project examining the relationship between objects and memory, connecting generations of her family through unlikely treasures. Bri’s signature bright colours and playful aesthetic elicit common memories of childhood. Collections of doll hair brushes, shells collected on the beach by her grandparents, and pieces of board games are common place and yet exquisitely familiar, capable of transporting us back to our own birthday parties and beach trips. While easily disregarded, Bri’s attention to these objects sheds light on their relationships to our bodies, every object held by tiny hands. At the same time, Bri speaks about the joys and the struggles of parenthood, and the overload of information, parenting hacks, theories of childhood development and pasta necklaces that come along with modern parenting.

Object Permanence is presented with support from the Ana and Christopher Koch Foundation.

  • Object Permanence is a still-life photographic series exploring the connection between parenting and childhood, using objects accumulated over generations. The term ‘object permanence’ is used to describe a child’s ability to understand that objects continue to exist, even though they can no longer be seen or heard. Through the work, I am questioning why families hold onto certain things, and how objects and photography can serve as tools for memory. 


    With vibrant colours and graphic compositions, the photos seem at first glance to exude a happy, everything-is-fine mood. But a closer look reveals grubby fingerprints all over a deflated balloon, or ripped hair stuck to an odd collection of tiny brushes. A dead bee, presented to me by my son, is melted into the wax of a birthday candle. A vase I’ve owned for decades, smashed during an unsupervised moment, is mended with playdough and houses a pipe-cleaner flower – a gift from childcare. 


    The hero piece displays hundreds of small items; gathered, photographed and printed on adhesive wallpaper. From precious gemstones foraged by my grandparents, to small game pieces and feathers found on the street, the composition examines what we place value on, especially when parenting and consumerism now feel so entwined. 


    I became a mum in 2022. While grappling with this transition, I came across a theory that has stuck in my mind. Psychotherapist Philippa Perry said in The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read, ‘Whatever age your child is, they are liable to remind you, on a bodily level, of the emotions you went through when you were at a similar stage.’ This prompted me to look back on my own childhood and adolescence, the good and the bad. I’m hoping parents will feel a sense of solidarity with the work, and that others will recognise their own childhood within the frames.

  • Bri Hammond is a photographer living on Kaurna country in Adelaide, previously residing on Wurundjeri land in Melbourne, until recently. Her work displays a mix of authentic emotions and odd moments, usually expressed with poppy colours and graphic compositions. She loves championing the peculiarities of life and highlighting the idiosyncrasies of people and places. Originally a graphic designer, she began her career with a year-long residency at Fabrica, Benetton’s Creative Research Centre in Treviso, Italy in 2011. Bri now creates images for a wide range of clients, publications and organisations across Australia with a unique visual approach.

    Bri’s debut solo exhibition ‘Nuoto da sola (I swim alone)’ was shown at Brunswick Street Gallery in Melbourne, 2019. In 2022, her first photobook ‘Endline - Deathcare during Melbourne’s Covid Crisis’, won the photobook prize at Melbourne’s Centre of Contemporary Photography. Bri has completed a Bachelor of Visual Communication (Design) at UniSA, and a Bachelor of Arts (Photography) at RMIT.

This exhibition has support from

 

The Mill’s Photographer in Residence program, presented with support from the Ana and Christopher Koch Foundation.

 

gallery II, sponsored studio, public program, oriana julie

Exhibition: Oriana Julie, Head in the Clouds

Adele Sliuzas ·

Image: Oriana Julie

January 27 - March 28, 2025

Artist talk: Friday February 14, 5:30-6:30

Gallery II, 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta

Free entry, all welcome

  • You can find Oriana Julie’s exhibition in The Mill’s Gallery II, located at 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta (Adelaide).

    Gallery II is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.

    Accessibility

    The Mill has two entrances, the main entrance on the corner of Angas and Gunson Street and an accessible entrance further down Angas Street.

    Both doors are locked from the outside, there is a doorbell on the main door that will alert The Mill team. They will meet you at the accessible entrance to welcome you into the building.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

The Mill is excited to present Head in The Clouds, a new exhibition by Oriana Julie developed through The Mill’s Visual Arts Studio Residency presented with support from donors Geoff Martin and Sorayya Mahmood Martin.

Head in The Clouds is an exploration of creative play, embracing spontaneous method making in order to form a hybrid, affective sanctuary. Oriana uses foraged objects - discarded furniture, vintage glassware, beads, synthetic fibers, and organic matter - turning everyday items into objects of divine contemplation. She speaks about the idea of sublime escapism, where she has created a shared affective experience for audiences. Here, art and art-making exist outside of language and are instead experienced through feeling. Slow and meditative processes are positioned as a form of care and the body is grounded through the state of creative flow.

Head in The Clouds is presented with support from donors Geoff Martin and Sorayya Mahmood Martin and Creative Australia.

  • Situated on Kaurna Land in Adelaide, Oriana pioneers a visual language rooted in Afro-surrealism, leveraging imagination to embrace empowering diasporic narratives. She blends bold visual and performance artistry to spark dialogue on time, identity, and culture, transforming personal narratives into spaces of sublime escape informed by personal mythos. Her work is characterized by a fusion of African American and Italian heritage, shaped by her upbringing on an Air Force base in Woomera and the lush landscapes of the Adelaide Hills. These diverse influences create a unique exploration of cultural identity.

    Oriana’s creative process is deeply connected to the sensory experiences of the body. Utilizing various mediums such as oil paint, beads, and resins, she creates immersive environments that translate embodied sensations into material expression. Inspired by Rococo, Surrealist, and Neoclassical aesthetics, her work blends symbols and motifs into a harmonious chaos.Through her innovative approach, Oriana contributes significantly to the academic and artistic discourse on Afro-surrealism and its relevance in contemporary art culture

    In 2022, Oriana graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Art from Adelaide Central School of Art, earning an invitation to pursue Honours. Over the past few years, she has secured various commissions and residencies. In 2021, she participated in the Nexus Arts Studio residency, held her first solo exhibition, and engaged in a mentorship with Faye Blanche of the Unbound Collective, which enriched her artistic perspective and earned her a nomination for the Don Dunstan Foundation Award. In 2024, she was awarded the Mill Visual Arts Residency, with a solo show planned for 2025, and participated in the Post Ofiice Project’s Studio residency. She was also invited to partake in the Post Office Projects Performance Program, supported by the Creative Industries Grant from the City of PAE and the Kick Start Graduate Grant from Adelaide Central School of Art.

    Oriana continues to push the boundaries of Afro-surrealism, contributing to its discourse and evolution within the contemporary art world. Her work not only reflects her unique cultural heritage and personal experiences but also serves as a powerful commentary on the complexities of identity and the human condition.

  • Informed by my childhood experience of always "having my head in the clouds" and being "off with the fairies," this body of work seeks to reframe this personal narrative into a space of sublime escape through spontaneous method-making, depicting a personal mythos. These moments of sublime escape explore the function of fantasy as an intrinsic tool for imagination, deeply connected to embodied feelings. In this realm of sublime escapism, I grant myself permission to delve into the depths of my being and emotions. The works can be viewed as an internal dialogue, manifesting in tactile forms.

    The exhibition unfolds as an internal conversation, guided by personal mythos and translated into the tactile and material expression of embodied sensation. The sensory processes of the body are integrated into the art-making, forming an intrinsically connected environment through various mediums. In this space, distinctions between worlds and categories dissolve. Soft hues articulate a union between the characters and the spaces they inhabit. During these moments of sublime escape, the characters find solace in transcending societal constraints, becoming unapologetically empowered.

This exhibition has support from

 
 
 

The Visual Arts Residency is presented with support from donors Geoff Martin and Sorayya Mahmood Martin

 

gallery I, public program

Exhibition: Lucky Smith, Under 30's Eat Free

Adele Sliuzas ·

Lucky Smith, I stood 10 Feet from accountability inside Purgatory, detail, 2025, oil & Acrylic on Canvas,

April 11- June 20, 2025

Opening: Friday April 11, 5:30-7:30pm

Gallery I, 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta

Free entry, all welcome

  • You can find Under 30’s Eat Free in The Mill’s Gallery I, located at 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta (Adelaide).

    Gallery I is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.

    Accessibility

    The Mill has two entrances, the main entrance on the corner of Angas and Gunson Street and an accessible entrance further down Angas Street.

    Both doors are locked from the outside, there is a doorbell on the main door that will alert The Mill team. They will meet you at the accessible entrance to welcome you into the building.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

The Mill is excited to present Under 30’s Eat Free, a new solo exhibition by studio resident Lucky Smith.

Combining pop-art flatness with anthropomorphic characters, Lucky explores contemporary anxieties in a way that is both jovial and deadly serious. Bold and bright, and slightly disconcerting, we see his subjects navigating everyday scenarios in unusual ways - a day at the beach turns into a most strange place to adopt a kitten, while a Rapa Nui (Easter Island) moai statue spills the tea on a date at a Parisienne bistro. Lucky has also begun exploring the addition of textured oil paint within his otherwise modernly flat scenes, bringing a new quality within the paintings.

The body of works are uncanny and relatable, shedding light on the ‘coming of age’ we experience as we enter our 30s.

  • The impending turn of thirty is an age of paralytic decision-making, the frazzled and hurried pursuit of escaping dreams, and an overwhelming sensation one is not where they need to be as they are compared to their contemporaries and generations before them.

    Under 30s Eat Free is a visual representation of my comparative and anxious feelings towards turning 30 in the present day.

    This introspection began through reading about Peter Freuchen, an early twentieth century Danish explorer who before thirty had raised a family of three in the midst of mapping the borders and climate of the arctic circle, and literally fought off wolves that encroached on his weather recording outpost - a three day sled from the expeditions’ operations command centre.

    He spent five years in the arctic. Upon returning home to Denmark Frechuen journaled, “I felt like a stranger when I encountered my old friends. I was proud of my strength and ability to live for long periods without food, but these things meant nothing to them.”

    As the biological urge to start a family and forego the insecurity of contract work weighs, I began a transition from the fast paced and tortuous nature of the film industry to the seemingly more sensible corporate 9 to 5. I feel the aforementioned quote summarises my experience in making this transition quite well.

    My most recent experience in the film industry consisted of 14 hour days, six day weeks, an eight week stretch without a lunch break, six weeks of social isolation, Non Disclosure Agreements loaded with very real threat of legal action, and crippling heat all done for the largest serial commissioned in Australia, by the biggest streaming platform of our age. However, within short succession I was informed by BUPA I have the option to stay on my parents’ private health insurance until the age of 32, and I was told by my new workplace if I wish to come in early to get work done I first need to earn the company’s trust via a year long probation before being granted access to the security alarm code.

    In this exhibition nine images in oil and acrylic on canvas, empathetically visualise many contemporary lifestyle and workplace problems shared by Generation Z and their fringes. Such concerns include whether to choose a career of passion or financial comfort, the requirements to enter a job with a wealth of knowledge beyond one’s years, whether to choose a soul mate or children, and the confiscation of autonomy, which all seemingly prolong childhood into one’s late-thirties.

    This series of works is my life and career retrospective built on strong fluctuating binary feelings of guilt, shame, regret, anger, and self-loathing which necessitates expressive colour, scale, and visuals that demands the viewer’s attention, like a pub banner announcing free meals for us kids. The imagery is confusing and abrasive, uncanny, dreamlike, familiar and yet… off, perpetuated by a fluctuating use of palette knives and brushes, and the contrast of thickly layered oils on an acrylic background.

    The creation of these artworks journal my epiphany into what I believe adulthood is; that old adage, if you want to be treated like an adult you have to behave like an adult.

  • Lucky Smith is a passionate expressionist painter from rural South Australia, now living and working in Adelaide. Lucky specialises in large scale portraiture of pop culture personalities and surrealist scenes using oil & acrylics. An avid painter from the age of six, his organically developed style has blossomed into grand and colourful artworks that fill a wall, brighten a room, and invite a crowd into vibrant conversation.

    Lucky is an imaginative storyteller, learning foundations from John Collee’s AFTRS Screenwriting seminar, and travelling to New York in 2022 to study story structure under screen and writing lecturer Robert McKee. Lucky uses these storytelling principles to construct scenes in his artwork which empathetically explore complex interpersonal exchanges and idiosyncratic social situations, with recurring motifs such as anthropomorphised animals and retro pop culture.

    Lucky has worked in graphic design and the film industry for over a decade, working on such

    significant projects as The Tourist (2020, STAN), La Brea (2020, NBC), & Territory (2024, NETFLIX).

    Lucky’s artwork is displayed in numerous public and private collections domestically and internationally. His solo exhibition ‘Your Spectrum is Showing’ was held at Linhay Gallery in Auburn SA in 2022. Lucky has a studio at The Mill - Adelaide, and will be exhibiting as part of The Mill’s Visual Art program in 2025.

This exhibition has support from

 
 

gallery II, public program

Exhibition: Meg Mader, Patterned Disproportion

Adele Sliuzas ·

Meg Mader, You’re Cactus!, 2024, gouache on wooden Panel, 407mm x 508mm, courtesy of the artist

April 11- June 20, 2025

Opening: Friday April 11, 5:30-7:30pm

Gallery II, 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta

Free entry, all welcome

  • You can find Patterned Disproportion in The Mill’s Gallery II, located at 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta (Adelaide).

    Gallery II is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.

    Accessibility

    The Mill has two entrances, the main entrance on the corner of Angas and Gunson Street and an accessible entrance further down Angas Street.

    Both doors are locked from the outside, there is a doorbell on the main door that will alert The Mill team. They will meet you at the accessible entrance to welcome you into the building.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

The Mill is excited to present Patterned Disproportion, a new solo exhibition by Clare Valley based artist Meg Mader.

In this exhibition Meg uses her signature vibrant painting style, taking viewers on an imaginative journey through playful, disproportionate and extraordinary scenes. Checkerboard floors and ornate wallpaper come together to give a glimpse into the lives of music-playing ornaments, mischievous gnomes and a most sophisticated doll house. We’re invited to fill in the narrative, whose beautiful house is this? Is this maggie performing a Billie Holiday tribute? Indeed, could the ornaments and pets in our own homes also have such glamorous secret lives?

In bringing to life the ordinary and everyday, Meg also imbues her characters with agency, a portrait of a dog is playfully titled ‘Fetch me Equality’, mirroring the sentiment of her portrait titled ‘Determination Inspiration Imagination’. The work is equally entertaining and playful as it is personal and political.

  • As an illustrative artist, I’m captivated by the vibrancy of acrylic ink and gouache, using them to bring life and colour to objects, animals, and scenes. Recently, my work has delved into the role of patterns, which evoke a sense of time and place within each composition. For this exhibition, I have created a series of paintings using objects, patterns and colour to capture an imagined moment in time. Alongside these are still-life scenes drawn from a mix of found, gifted, and personal objects—each carrying its own story—arranged in settings with playful, disproportionate scales.

    The altered scales introduce a sense of surrealism, inviting viewers to see everyday objects in new and unexpected ways. Patterns within each disproportionate room add depth and rhythm, framing each scene within a distinct narrative context.

    The exhibition is an entertaining, immersive journey inviting viewers to experience a new life for ordinary objects, reimagined in a timeless, dynamic space. This exhibition encourages a closer look at the ordinary, a rethinking of scale, and an interactive encounter with past and present woven together.

  • Meg Mader works predominantly with acrylic inks, gouache, and pen to create vibrant illustrations of animals, still life, and pop culture mash-ups. She has participated in many group exhibitions. Noteworthy are her duo exhibitions with collaborator Stu Nankivell, where she ventures into augmented reality, adding another layer to her works. In her solo exhibitions, Meg explores themes and narratives of her choice including literary mashups and still life, allowing for unrestrained expression.


    Her artistic style has earned her a Highly Commended and the Incentive Award at the Clare Valley Portrait Prize along with winning the Balco Art Prize's Best Work on Paper. A pivotal moment arrived when Meg was chosen for the Nebula Program by Country Arts SA, offering her the chance to deepen her practice and build connections with fellow regional artists. Meg's art often takes the form of commissioned pieces, frequently commemorating beloved pets and cherished memories.


    Since 2017, Meg has expanded her artistic practice by organising art events and workshops across South Australia and a series of large events at Puddleduck Vineyard in Tasmania. Her involvement in a local arts committee and establishment of a weekly art group are other ways to enjoy arts within the community.

This exhibition has support from

 
 

gallery II, public program, marina deller

Exhibition: The Myth of the Lonely Artist, Marina Deller

Adele Sliuzas ·

Image: Marina Deller

April 11- June 20, 2025

Opening: Friday April 11, 5:30-7:30pm

Gallery Foyer, 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta

Free entry, all welcome

  • You can find The Myth of the Lonely Artist in The Mill’s Gallery Foyer, located at 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta (Adelaide).

    The Mill’s galleries are open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.

    Accessibility

    The Mill has two entrances, the main entrance on the corner of Angas and Gunson Street and an accessible entrance further down Angas Street.

    Both doors are locked from the outside, there is a doorbell on the main door that will alert The Mill team. They will meet you at the accessible entrance to welcome you into the building.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

The Mill is excited to present The Myth of the Lonely Artist, a new Foyer exhibition featuring The Mill Writer in Residence Marina Deller. The digital exhibition explores the stereotypes forced onto writers and artists, focusing on the bright spots of companionship which form part of an art practice or day-to-day life.

  • I have long been fascinated by stereotypes. This fascination began after deciding I wanted to be a writer when I ‘grew up’. I was interested in the way stories were built, and especially in the idea that characters could have ‘tropes’ like plots could. As a queer teenager, I faced a different kind of stereotyping. It encouraged me to consider what kinds of stereotypes are rife in not only stories but the world they depict, and how – when unexamined, when taken as truth – these can veil or derail true and complex personhood.

    Writers are often painted as poor, obsessive to the point of destruction, and lonely. Though the first two I can attest to, the last never sat quite right with me. I asked myself, ‘In examining the world through artistic forms are artists doomed to feel lonely?’

    Undertaking the Writer in Residence program at The Mill has been a transformative experience and has helped me explore this question. Early 2024 I was at a kind of post-PhD crossroad professionally and creatively. I craved a space to reconnect with my practice beyond academia. At The Mill, I fell in love with the capacity for a collection of creative humans to inspire, challenge, and support one another. Even the smallest moments – hellos in the hallways and chats over coffee – lit my days. I also found myself inspired by the multi- and inter- disciplinary nature of many of the artists’ works. As well as writing, I wanted to paint and draw (even if badly) and found myself reaching for my camera often. Being at The Mill in this period of change, I felt keenly that the world had a lot to offer me. I also began to observe where and how I was being kept company in my practice and taking note of it, which led to this hybrid project.

    So, is there such a thing as a lonely artist? I’m sure there is, somewhere, just as I am now certain I have never been one. My hope for this work is that it allows you to focus on the small, bright spots of companionship which form part of an art practice or simply day-to-day life.

  • Marina Deller is writer, academic, and critic, working and creating on Kaurna Land. Marina has a PhD in Creative Writing (Life Writing) from Flinders University, where they are an award-winning teacher of Writing and Literature.

    In their creative practice Marina examines art, culture, (queer) identity, family, love, and loss. They write essays, short stories, poetry, and hybrid works incorporating objects, art, and photography.

    Their writing appears in such outlets as The Conversation, Westerly, Voiceworks, Archer, Babyteeth Journal, and InDaily and has been painted on the city streets as part of Raining Poetry in Adelaide. Their short story “Nostos” was shortlisted for the Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction 2021, and their essay “Dresses, heavy with water” was highly commended in the AAWP/Westerly Magazine Life Writing Prize 2022.

    Marina is also a recent recipient of the Island View Writers’ House Emerging Writer Residency and an active member of the Life Narrative Lab where they curate and run reading events which platform emerging life writers.

 

This exhibition has been created as a personal project through The Mill’s Writer in Residence program.

 

gallery I, public program, gallery II

Artist talk: Lucky Smith, Under 30s Eat Free + Meg Mader, Patterned Disproportion

Adele Sliuzas ·

Artist Talk

When: Friday, May 30, 5:30-6:30pm

Where: The Mill, 154 Angas Street, Kaurna Yarta

Cost: Free

  • The Mill has two entrances, the main entrance on the corner of Angas and Gunson Street and an accessible entrance further down Angas Street.

    Both doors are locked from the outside, there is a doorbell on the main door that will alert The Mill team. They will meet you at the accessible entrance to welcome you into the building.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

Join Lucky Smith, Meg Mader and The Mill's Visual Arts Curator Adele Sliuzas for a chat about Under 30s Eat Free and Patterned Disproportion, showing in Galleries I and II at The Mill.

About the exhibitions

Under 30s Eat Free combines pop-art flatness with anthropomorphic characters, exploring contemporary anxieties in a way that is both jovial and deadly serious. Bold and bright, and slightly disconcerting, we see Lucky’s subjects navigating everyday scenarios in unusual ways - a day at the beach turns into a most strange place to adopt a kitten, while a Rapa Nui (Easter Island) moai statue spills the tea on a date at a Parisienne bistro. Lucky has also begun exploring the addition of textured oil paint within his otherwise modernly flat scenes, bringing a new quality within the paintings. The body of works are uncanny and relatable, shedding light on the ‘coming of age’ we experience as we enter our 30s.

Patterned Disproportion uses Meg’s signature vibrant painting style, taking viewers on an imaginative journey through playful, disproportionate and extraordinary scenes. Checkerboard floors and ornate wallpaper come together to give a glimpse into the lives of music-playing ornaments, mischievous gnomes and a most sophisticated doll house. We’re invited to fill in the narrative, whose beautiful house is this? Is this maggie performing a Billie Holiday tribute? Indeed, could the ornaments and pets in our own homes also have such glamorous secret lives?

About the artists

  • Lucky Smith is a passionate expressionist painter from rural South Australia, now living and working in Adelaide. Lucky specialises in large scale portraiture of pop culture personalities and surrealist scenes using oil & acrylics. An avid painter from the age of six, his organically developed style has blossomed into grand and colourful artworks that fill a wall, brighten a room, and invite a crowd into vibrant conversation.

    Lucky is an imaginative storyteller, learning foundations from John Collee’s AFTRS Screenwriting seminar, and travelling to New York in 2022 to study story structure under screen and writing lecturer Robert McKee. Lucky uses these storytelling principles to construct scenes in his artwork which empathetically explore complex interpersonal exchanges and idiosyncratic social situations, with recurring motifs such as anthropomorphised animals and retro pop culture.

    Lucky has worked in graphic design and the film industry for over a decade, working on such

    significant projects as The Tourist (2020, STAN), La Brea (2020, NBC), & Territory (2024, NETFLIX).

    Lucky’s artwork is displayed in numerous public and private collections domestically and internationally. His solo exhibition ‘Your Spectrum is Showing’ was held at Linhay Gallery in Auburn SA in 2022. Lucky has a studio at The Mill - Adelaide, and will be exhibiting as part of The Mill’s Visual Art program in 2025.

  • Meg Mader works predominantly with acrylic inks, gouache, and pen to create vibrant illustrations of animals, still life, and pop culture mash-ups. She has participated in many group exhibitions. Noteworthy are her duo exhibitions with collaborator Stu Nankivell, where she ventures into augmented reality, adding another layer to her works. In her solo exhibitions, Meg explores themes and narratives of her choice including literary mashups and still life, allowing for unrestrained expression.

    Her artistic style has earned her a Highly Commended and the Incentive Award at the Clare Valley Portrait Prize along with winning the Balco Art Prize's Best Work on Paper. A pivotal moment arrived when Meg was chosen for the Nebula Program by Country Arts SA, offering her the chance to deepen her practice and build connections with fellow regional artists. Meg's art often takes the form of commissioned pieces, frequently commemorating beloved pets and cherished memories.

    Since 2017, Meg has expanded her artistic practice by organising art events and workshops across South Australia and a series of large events at Puddleduck Vineyard in Tasmania. Her involvement in a local arts committee and establishment of a weekly art group are other ways to enjoy arts within the community.

This exhibition has support from

 
 
 

Under 30s Eat Free has support from

 
 
 

sponsored studio recipien

Kayangan Visual Arts Studio Residency 2025: Dai Trang Nguyen

Adele Sliuzas ·

The Mill is thrilled to announce Dai Trang Nguyen as the recipient of the Kayangan Visual Arts Studio Residency in 2025. The Mill’s Kayangan Visual Arts Studio Residency is supported by donors Geoff Martin and Sorayya Mahmood Martin, Arts SA and OzAsia Festival.

Dai Trang will receive 6-months of studio space and an exhibition outcome in The Mill’s Gallery II as part of OzAsia Festival 2025.

Kayangan is a Malay word meaning ‘heaven’ or ‘from the sky’. 

  • Dai Trang is a Vietnamese artist and designer based in Kaurna Country whose creative journey spans the UK, Vietnam, and Australia. With a foundation in graphic design, her work radiates vibrancy and a profound connection to colour.

    During the solitude of the COVID-19 pandemic, art became her sanctuary, a way to delve into self-discovery and expression. This transformative period led to her first solo exhibition in Vietnam, exploring themes of self-identity. Inspired by this milestone, she moved to South Australia in 2022 to pursue contemporary art, embracing experimentation and deepening her artistic practice.

    Living far from home has enriched her connection to her heritage and mindfulness practices. Deeply influenced by mindfulness and Buddhism, her work has evolved from structured design to an intuitive, meditative process she calls Moment Art. Rooted in the present moment, by letting go of judgment and pre-determined notions, she lets life unfold naturally through painting, textiles and found objects.

    After three years of solitary practice for self-understanding, Dai Trang has recently begun sharing her work in the local art scene. Her creations reflect her inner journey, inviting viewers to pause, reflect, and connect with their innermost selves.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist.

This residency has support from

 
 
 

The Kayangan Visual Arts Studio Residency is supported by donors Geoff and Sorayya Mahmood Martin.

 

sponsored studio recipien

Visual Arts Studio Residency 2025: Nadera Rasulova

Adele Sliuzas ·

The Mill is thrilled to announce Nadera Rasulova as the recipient of the Visual Arts Studio Residency in the second half of 2025. Nadera Rasulova will receive 6-months of studio space and an exhibition outcome in The Mill’s Gallery II in 2026. The Mill’s Visual Arts Studio Residency is supported by donors Geoff Martin and Sorayya Mahmood Martin.

  • Nadera Rasulova is an emerging abstract artist whose work explores the intersection of her Central Asian heritage and Australian upbringing.

    Drawing inspiration from Uzbek cultural traditions and Western societal norms, Nadera’s art fosters a dialogue between these two worlds. Her compositions often take the form of patchwork topographies, evoking the diverse natural environments she has encountered throughout her life.

    Her use of upward and downward strokes in oil paint is reminiscent of the intricate techniques of traditional Uzbek silk weaving, reflecting her cultural roots. These gestures, combined with modern abstraction, create works that resonate with themes of memory, identity, and place.

    Sustainability plays a significant role in Nadera’s practice. She consciously works with canvas and linen offcuts, transforming what would typically be discarded into meaningful, purposeful art. This commitment to repurposing materials reflects both her respect for the environment and her dedication to creative innovation.

    In 2022, Nadera’s work Greenwashing was selected as a finalist for the National Emerging Artist Prize, marking a significant milestone in her career. As her practice evolves, Nadera continues to bridge tradition and contemporary issues, producing art that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist.

 

The Visual Arts Residency is presented with support from donors Geoff Martin and Sorayya Mahmood Martin.

 

public program, gallery II

Exhibition: Fragments, Erin Daniell

Adele Sliuzas ·

Image: Erin Daniell

October 25, 2024 - January 17, 2025

Finissage: Friday January 17, 4:30-6:30pm

The Mill Foyer, 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta

Free entry, all welcome

  • You can find Fragments in The Mill’s Foyer, located at 154 Angas St, Kaurna Yarta (Adelaide).

    The Mill is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.

    Accessibility

    The Mill has two entrances, the main entrance on the corner of Angas and Gunson Street and an accessible entrance further down Angas Street.

    Both doors are locked from the outside, there is a doorbell on the main door that will alert The Mill team. They will meet you at the accessible entrance to welcome you into the building.

    The Mill has concrete flooring throughout with no internal steps and a disability toilet on site.

    Read more in-depth information on our accessibility web page.

The Mill is excited to present Fragments, a new Showcase exhibition featuring The Mill studio resident, jeweller Erin Daniell. The exhibition features wearable sculptures inspired by the natural South Australian landscape, in particular the Fleurieu Peninsula.

  • ‘Fragments’ is a small collection of wearable sculptures that are inspired by the eroded coastline of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Each metal form has been hand sculpted in wax to mimic the striations and undulations of sedimentary rock and weathered flora found along the coast. Broken and irregular, these pieces are like broken shells and flotsam and jetsam that washes up along the sand. The intuitive process of moulding is what creates the organic texture found on the surface of the pieces and the uncontrollable nature of the wax material is what informs the final result.

     

    In contrast the expectation mass production set by fast fashion, the making process of this work is slow and mindful. Craft and preservation workmanship is a central part of the artistic practice, and each piece is one of a kind. Driving the work is a love of beauty and the human connection to objects, as they act as reminders of places, people or history.

  • Erin Daniell is a jewellery designer and visual artist based in Tarntanya/Adelaide. She completed a bachelor’s degree in Creative Arts at Flinders University in 2021, and she was selected for the Peter Walker/Helpmann Advancement award in 2020. In 2022, Daniell participated in the JamFactory Associate Training Program in the Jewellery and Metal Studio.

     

    Daniell's design philosophy reflects an exploration of growth and beauty, taking inspiration from natural forms. She builds organic shapes to create small scale sculptures and jewellery collections. Employing her own take on ancient cire perdue techniques, she manipulates liquid wax by pulling and twisting to create fragile forms that are each as unique as a fingerprint. This process infuses her designs with natural textures that carry an elemental aesthetic, reminiscent of mollusc spiral growth patterns and coastal erosion striations.

     

    Daniell has exhibited in galleries such as Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne, CRAFT ACT, Canberra and Zu Design, Adelaide and she was selected as finalist in the Parklands Prize in 2023. Her works are currently stocked in KIN Gallery, Canberra and JamFactory, Adelaide. She has received grants from Helpmann Academy and Australia Council for the Arts and has undertaken an Artist in Residence program in the Mornington Peninsula.