MARS is delighted to announce the representation of Takatāpui artist J Davies. Through an ongoing archive of contemporary queer existence, J cultivates connection to community and culture whilst exploring themes of identity, intimacy, and neurodiversity. We are proud to add J Davies to MARS' legacy of artists – each with their own essential voices and practices reflecting the many backgrounds, histories, and cultures within contemporary Australia.
“We are preserving our lives for future generations of queer people to see how we looked, how we lived and how we loved. If we don’t tell our own stories the way we want them to be told, who knows how they’ll portray us. This goes for all marginalised communities who have had their stories erased, or obscured, throughout Eurocentric history." J Davies, Public Offerings Ltd, 2024.
Using the camera to explore, archive and celebrate their community, J displays images en masse, and by doing so challenges the inherent social constructs around sexuality, gender and relationships.
MARS Gallery Director Andy Dinan shares, “J’s work makes me want to know more NOW, and that means they are perfect for the MARS Family. J’s eye captures the fluidity and vibrancy of queer culture in Melbourne, and their work has become instantly recognisable in the art world. I’m proud to platform and share the works of my artists, who all proudly share with us their unique stories, backgrounds and practices. I’m excited to have J join the MARS team as I know their work will form the ongoing queer legacies not only in Australia but worldwide.”
J has exhibited across Australia from PHOTO22, at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne Now, as a finalist in The National Photographic Portrait Prize at The National Portrait Gallery, as well as across several years in the Bowness Photography Prize at The Museum of Australian Photography. Internationally, they have exhibited at Le Recontrés d’Arles in France and at the Hong Kong International Photography Festival.