Jess Mara, Bundle, 2021. Oil on linen on board, 62 x 44cm. Courtesy: to artist and Praxis Artspace, SA.
‘Bundle’ draws on personal domestic rituals and practices to reflect on the many loads we carry in day to day life. Through a series of paintings Mara utilises concealed items and an introspective tone to examine both physical and emotional states. Wrapped and held together, these items resist identification while signifying a myriad of daily encumbrances. They appear at times a comfort, a weight, something to hold, to nurture, to juggle or to sort, suggesting an attempt to find balance.