THIS IS NOW
by Carmel Cosgrove
THIS IS NOW by Carmel Cosgrove is a new exhibition at The Outside Gallery in Paine Reserve, Newport.
About the Artist
Carmel Cosgrove is a multi-disciplinary artist living in Yarraville. Her work investigates the layers of urban and natural landscapes including emotional, physical, environmental, historical and cultural. Through projection, video, photography and suspended elements, she reconstructs these spaces in the studio, removed from their original context. Carmel’s practice uncovers the often unseen traces of human activity, inviting viewers to pause, reflect and see the landscapes around them in a new way.
About the Art
For over 20 years, Carmel Cosgrove has explored the layered cultural and environmental histories of Melbourne’s western suburbs, observing how urban landscapes change over time, shaped by both human activity and nature. She works with mixed media, projection, photography, video and suspended elements to reimagine sites that reveal history, pollution, decay and resilience.
Places such as Stony Creek Backwash, the West Gate Bridge and Hyde Street Reserve captivate her, spaces where abandoned structures, mangroves, invasive plants and fauna, graffiti and industrial colour overlap to create unexpected narratives. These sites allow Carmel to investigate displacement, transformation and ecological and cultural resilience.
Through her practice, she reconstructs these landscapes in the studio, offering viewers a space to reflect on fragile urban ecosystems, the potential for restoration and the complex, persistent stories that shape the suburbs.
Your invitation to the Exhibition Launch