Border State

‘Border State’ is Emily Gordon’s examination of life within the physical and mental confines of New South Wales, memorialising ordinary moments from the city, country and coast. 

The show explores life in Sydney during the early pandemic, as well as travel within the state between lockdowns. For Emily,  The Southern Tablelands provided solace, escape and regeneration, a sanctuary out of the city. Emily also found herself chasing the elusive escapism of the coast, documenting her encounters with the ocean. This collection includes eight small seascapes from those encounters. This body of work also shows Emily’s encounters with familiar city streets, and her exploration of  new paths and surprising vantages, offering fresh perspectives on Sydney’s city scapes.

Raised in Oakland, California, Emily first moved to Australia in 2005 and now splits her time between downtown Sydney and Gunning NSW. Her work runs in two broad streams – country and city – representing the duality of her Australian experience. Rhythm, light and pattern inform and elevate everyday moments, and the work allows viewers to share in her personal visual narrative. ‘Border State’ follows sold out solo shows at Michael Reid Northern Beaches in 2022 and 2021. Emily was also a finalist in the 2021 National Emerging Art Prize, as well as a previous Mosman Art Prize finalist.