Jeswri unveils Beyond Hectic at Library at the Dock

Gadigal street artist Jeswri presents Beyond Hectic – a raw and visually striking new exhibition opening on July 10 at the Library at the Dock.

The show follows his recent recognition as a finalist in the 2024 Archibald Prize and marks his first major showing since that career milestone.

A continuation of his 2023 exhibition Hectic at Honeybones Gallery, Beyond Hectic revisits and expands on themes of grief, cultural identity, and mental health through new and recent works.

“By name and by definition, it was a hectic period of my life,” Jeswri said.

“I lost my old dingo – my old dog – I had a lot of things going on with work, and didn’t really allow myself the chance to enjoy what I was putting out.”

Now, with support from the City of Melbourne, Jeswri expands on his earlier work with 10 powerful new pieces that delve beyond personal turmoil to confront wider social and cultural tensions.

“A lot of the inspiration for the show comes from my battle with my complex heritage. My mum’s part of the Stolen Generation, so we have a complex ancestry,” he told Docklands News.

Based on Wurundjeri Country, Jeswri’s practice blends large-scale murals, graffiti, and contemporary First Nations perspectives to interrogate what it means to exist in modern Australia.

“Every artist will tell you they’re a storyteller,” he said.

“My mum used to call me a ‘Yellamundi,’ which means storyteller in my language group. I try and embody that with disguising my feelings and putting them into visual art.”

Beyond Hectic touches on collective grief and the psychological toll of global conflict, and Jeswri’s own experiences with that.

“Waking up every day and seeing war and violence on my phone, it does something to your mental health,” he said.

Presented during NAIDOC Week, Jeswri is candid about the pressures Indigenous artists face.

“There are elements of being burnt out – trying to be happy that this is a week of celebration, but my ideology and my outspokenness will tell you that NAIDOC Week should be every week,” Jeswri said.

All are welcome at the opening night on July 10, from 5.30pm to 7pm, with Jeswri having special plans in the works.

“I’m gonna try and do a little bit of a sausage sizzle out front – I thought that’d be a cute idea,” he said.

At its core, Beyond Hectic is about pausing amid chaos.

“If I could have people walk by my pieces and have some reflection of themselves or the world around them, then I’m happy,” Jeswri said.

“I’m excited to see what it brings.” •