Bella Deary is a Meanjin (Brisbane) based visual artist and PhD candidate whose practice gathers influence from environmental science and climate activism to promote the equality of all living forms. Deary uses key materials of latex and video projection to create installations, often with immersive and interactive qualities. Her practice centres around the concept of ecocentrism, the belief that all natural life should be valued equally. Deary's work aims to dismantle the hierarchy between human and non-human life by emphasising the body’s organic qualities and simulating interactions between these forms.
Notably, Deary has been awarded the 2021 Hilde Chenhall Memorial Scholarship and is currently completing a PhD under an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship, whereby she is investigating art-science collaborations to promote marine welfare. Deary has exhibited widely across Queensland, including venues such as Metro Arts, Outer Space, Caboolture Regional Art Gallery, Old Government House (with QUT Art Museum), and artist run spaces in the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Her upcoming projects include a solo exhibition in Sydney (AIRspace, February 2023), and residency in Finland (Fiskars AIR Residency, November 2023).
Image Courtesy of Louis Lim 2022.