The Torch explores the emotional journey of artworks To Be Returned

A powerful new exhibition opening in Carlton next month is turning the spotlight on a little-seen chapter in the life of First Peoples artworks created in prison.

To Be Returned, presented by The Torch at its Elgin St gallery, runs from March 20 to April 11 and explores the complex, often emotional journey that unfolds when unsold artworks are returned to their creators or communities.

The exhibition is the first in a new professional development and creative collaboration series at The Torch, shaped by an open call for proposals and led by First Peoples curators to ensure cultural and artistic integrity. It has been curated by proud Nari Nari/Wemba Wemba artist Brodie Peters-Godden alongside The Torch’s sales coordinator George Ironside.

Each year, The Torch supports more than 800 First Peoples artists who are currently incarcerated or recently released, using arts practice to strengthen cultural connection and help break cycles of reoffending. As artworks accumulate, they cannot be held indefinitely. After 12 months, unsold works enter what is known as the To Be Returned process.

For many artists, that return is not straightforward. Works often cannot re-enter prison facilities, meaning family members or friends must step in to receive them. For artists in the community, changing personal circumstances can make accepting a returned piece complicated.

To Be Returned brings these layered realities into public view, platforming works that in some cases have never been exhibited before. The exhibition highlights the logistical hurdles, institutional constraints and emotional weight tied to return, while underscoring the importance of visibility, recognition and community.

This exhibition is not only about return; it is a powerful opportunity for connection, inviting audiences to participate in and become a part of each artwork’s journey, the gallery states.

Artists’ reflections featured in the exhibition speak to resilience and cultural continuity. Wiradjuri artist Aalayah describes life’s pathways as curving “through light and shadow, like the tracks of my Ancestors”, each one leading back to belonging to Country. Bunurong/Boon Wurrung artist Corey He reflects on looking to Bunjil for guidance during seven years of incarceration, saying his paintings and cultural protector have helped shape a new direction in life.

Alongside the exhibition, The Torch will host a floor talk with the curators and an exhibiting artist on March 28, and a live painting session on April 11, offering audiences a chance to engage directly with the artists and their work.

Held on Wurundjeri Country at The Torch Gallery, 146 Elgin St, Carlton, the exhibition is free to attend and open Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, and Saturdays, 11am to 3pm.

Through To Be Returned, The Torch invites the community to consider not just the creation of art, but its full journey – and the human stories carried within each canvas. •

Caption: Jaye, Gunaikurnai people, Coming Together #2 2023, acrylic on canvas, 76 x 65 cm.