Do you know what a 'meatus' is? Even if you don't, we can guarantee you are in possession of several meatuses. A meatus, you see, is an opening or passage that leads to your body's interior – your ears are a meatus, as is your mouth, your nose and your, ah, party parts in your pants.
It's the humble but ever so important meatus, and their various functions and senses, that serves as inspiration for Frances Barrett's new exhibition at ACCA. Meatus turns the Southbank gallery into a body of sorts, using sound and light to create spaces that "bleeds and leaks", just as you would expect in a real body. In doing so, Barrett looks to get audiences listening with their entire self (not just their ears) and reassessing the capabilities of the body.
ACCA commissioning curator, Annika Kristensen, said: “Meatus is a radical reimagining of the art gallery – transforming a space which traditionally presents visual experiences into a theatrical and enveloping environment in which sound becomes the primary object."
The exhibition is led by Barrett in collaboration with Nina Buchanan, Debris Facility Pty Ltd., Hayley Forward, Brian Fuata, Del Lumanta and Sione Teumohenga. Originally due to show in 2020 as part of the Katthy Cavaliere Fellowship, Meatus is showing at ACCA from April 2 to June 19.
After you finish exploring the exhibition, grab dinner at one of these restaurants in Southbank.
