The Essence by Agata Mayes

The Essence offers a unique, sensorial experience by combining soundscape, sculpture, video, and photography. The exhibition considers the subject of consciousness by challenging our views on reality and the origin of the universe.

In this work, Mayes examines explores the subject of consciousness, and by examining the relationship between inner and outer worlds she seeks to understand how those two spaces coexist to form the reality we experience.

© Agata Mayes, Three Moons, The Essence Series. Archival Inkjet Print, 2019.
© Agata Mayes, Three Moons, The Essence Series. Archival Inkjet Print, 2019.

Agata Mayes works predominantly with lens-based media, including photography and video in the form of projection installations. In The Essence, Mayes combines a timeless concept with a modern and high-tech presentation where, by mapping a video on the suspended sculpture, the artist creates a space for intimate reflection about our place in the universe.

Mayes encourages the viewers to extend their consciousness and to become open to the idea of reality beyond scientific proof. The installation gives us a sense of ambiguity when stepping into the projection room, allowing us to experience something larger than we can comprehend.

The soundscape for the installation was created by pianist and composer Ania Massetti.

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July

Sydney: Until 31 Dec 2025. PIX, Australia’s first pictorial news weekly, is brought to life in this exhibition, showcasing its archived images and stories for the very first time.

November

Canberra: Until 1 March 2026. Women photographers 1853–2018 highlights the transformative impact of women artists on the history of photography.

Sydney: Until 11 April. Unfinished Business brings together the voices of 30 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with disabilities from remote, regional, and urban communities across Australia.

Canberra: Until 6 Sept 2026. Trent Parke’s photographic series The Christmas tree bucket 2006–09 is a tender and darkly humorous portrayal of his extended family coming together to celebrate Christmas.

Melbourne: 28 Nov 2025 – 26 May 2026. The exhibition celebrates the wide-ranging photographic practices of more than eighty women artists working between 1900 and 1975.

December

Sydney: 4 Dec – 30 Jan 2026. The project brings together around 70 images over 50 metres of wall space, profiling a wide spectrum of practical action on climate

February

Perth: 1 Feb – 1 March 2026. Head On Photo Festival is expanding its footprint to Western Australia, with an outdoor and indoor festival program running from Sunday 1 February to Sunday 1 March 2026.