Flight of the Battery Hens

The art exhibition Flight of the Battery Hens is currently running at PS Art Space in Pakenham Steet, ending this Friday. You’ll want to get along soon.

The exhibition is the culmination of artist Melissa Clements Studio 7 Residency at PS Art Space. During her residency she travelled to the High Arctic and her hometown in rural England for inspiration from local communities.

The exhibition explores themes of confinement, freedom, and the complex relationship between humans and animals, particularly within the industrial farming system; in particular, the plight of battery hens, often kept in cramped, unnatural conditions, drawing attention to issues of animal cruelty and consumerism.

But not just the battery hen. The humble battery hen’s struggles can also be viewed as a metaphor for human struggles.

There are also paintings of isolated lambs in desolate landscapes, and scenes of human revenge. Especially human revenge!

Melissa is a much in demand artist. Her work is held in collections across Australia. Her commissions have included key WA legal figures, the former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, The Hon Robert French AC, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, The Hon Peter Quinlan.

The exhibition runs at PS Art Space until this Friday, 31 January 2025.

You might also like to attend the Artist Talk with Dr Susanna Castleden and Melissa Clement on Wednesday, 29 January at 6pm at PS Art Space.

* By Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey. Jean is our Shipping Correspondent and also a regular feature writer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may also like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

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