'The Mourning After' explores grief through creative practice

A new exhibition curated by RMIT Distinguished Professor Larissa Hjorth titled 'The Mourning After' invites visitors to explore grief in all its forms - from bereavement to ecological loss.

Showing at RMIT Design Hub Gallery from 24 July - 20 September, the exhibition features works by leading artists and collectives to examine grief as a shared social practice through creative rituals, workshops, and conversations.

"Grief is a companion. It is something we all share," says Larissa.

"This exhibition offers a gentle invitation to reflect on grief and mourning as shared social and cultural experiences - experiences that not only connect us but also help us make sense of change, loss, and continuity.

"The works I have curated to include in the exhibition address various facets of grief, such as ecological grief, anticipatory grief, and mourning as an inseparable part of life."

Contributing artists include Lauren Berkowitz, Maree Clarke, Megan Cope, Vicki Couzens, Annie Frost Nicholson, Heather Hesterman, Shahee Ilyas, Lara Thoms, Paula Mahoney, The Centre for Reworlding, Machine Listening, and The Death Letter Project.

The exhibition is complemented by a free public program featuring a series of workshops - lead by Tamara Borovica, Katrin Gerber and Larissa Hjorth - that delve into themes like AI afterlives, memory-making, and ecogrief writing.

These workshops, led by artists and researchers, provide spaces for creativity, connection, and conversation about the multifaceted nature of grief.

'The Mourning After' is part of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship which aims to understand the role of mobile media mourning rituals as a reflection of our social, cultural, and emotional lives.