Art meets activism in Karla Dickens’s latest project

BYRON Shire Council has announced indigenous artist Karla Dickens as its representative to promote a major climate change initiative.

Her Rise and Fall project will be part of the council’s Climate Conversations scheme, which aims to address environmental change and issues through the arts.

The work is in response to the devastating floods at Lismore in 2022.

Ms Dickens explores climate catastrophe from a First Nations perspective and her own lived experience there during the disaster.

Sydney-based artist Blak Douglas won the Archibald Prize in 2022 for his portrait of Ms Dickens carrying two buckets during the floods.

Her new exhibition will be presented at the Lone Goat Gallery in July.

Byron Shire Council gallerist Sarah Harvey said the entries from artists this year were engaging, innovative and though provoking.

“Given the urgency of our climate situation, it is very encouraging to see so many artists exploring ideas around climate change to generate these important conversations,” she said.

“We are very excited to have this project coming to Council’s Lone Goat Gallery in Byron Bay and the opportunity to work with Karla, who is a nationally recognised artist.

“She has a lived experience of the devastation of natural disasters and the ongoing trauma that results.

“Through her large-scale installations, she conveys the urgent ideas of what it means to fight for survival and change.”