Exhibition Overview
Sunburn, the latest exhibition by photographer and costume designer Gerwyn Davies, is a homage to the Tweed region of New South Wales and the borderlands. The exhibition showcases vibrant new textile and photographic works that reimagine the ephemera, icons and images of Australia’s glittering east coast. Sunburn runs from 3 July to 22 November 2026 at Tweed Regional Gallery in South Murwillumbah, NSW.
Artist and Practice
Gadigal/Sydney-based artist Gerwyn Davies (born 1985) interweaves photography and textiles, constructing mise-en-scènes with epic backdrops for a single, elaborate character. Davies is both the artist and protagonist in his photographic works, posing boldly front and centre to draw viewers into fantastical settings that blur boundaries between the real and the fabricated.
Key Works
The exhibition includes works such as Pub rock (2025), a wall-based textile using felt, pleather, thread, sequin, velvet, vinyl, metal pole and brackets. Tropicana (2025) is an archival pigment print. Meter maid (2026) is another archival pigment print where Davies' body becomes the platform for characters through alluring, sculptural garments fashioned from everyday products and materials.
Inspiration and Materials
Drawing in part upon the immense Tweed Regional Museum collection, postcards, souvenirs, and signs are refashioned into sequins and spandex. Davies' costumed figures dis/appear beneath elaborate sculptural forms in photographic worlds that conjure the distinctive visual landscape of coastal Australiana. He constructs his elaborate garments from brightly coloured, utilitarian products, piling materials onto his frame to create 'clothes' that feel uncomfortable and claustrophobic, forging an intrinsic connection between himself and the characters he portrays.
Residency and Production
In 2025, Davies undertook a residency at the Nancy Fairfax Artist in Residence Studio at the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre. During the three-week residency, he spent time researching and making new work for this exhibition. According to the gallery, the residency allowed Davies to delve into local collections and produce the vibrant pieces now on display.
Themes and Impact
Davies' work uses a playful, hyperreal style to mirror the personal stories and costumes we all adopt in our daily lives. The exhibition includes works like Crab (2025) and Croc (2025), both archival pigment prints, as well as Sunburn (2025) and Tan man (2025), a wall-based textile of felt, lurex, thread, sequin, vinyl, metal pole and brackets. Through these pieces, Davies celebrates the kitschy, surreal elements of coastal Australiana, offering a love letter to the region's unique visual culture.
