Creating art can often feel like a very solo endeavour, but it doesn’t have to be like that. The stunning LCI Melbourne gallery is being taken over by the artwork of two Naarm/Melbourne artists – a resident artist and an art student being mentored by them. Established creative J Davies (@jdavies.studio) is an Australian-born Māori artist who has been taking photos for around 20 years. Scarlett Mallia (@malliascarlett) is a 19-year-old student studying visual art at LCI Melbourne. Under J’s mentorship, they have collaborated on an exhibition called The Future Feels Familiar, which is the first installment of a series of artists in residency in the public gallery. We spoke to them to find out all about this exciting exhibition. Can you tell us about this exhibition, J? J: It’s named after a work that I made towards the end of last year that sequences handy-cam footage I take in my day-to-day life and follows it like a stream of consciousness. It’s kind of like a dreamscape but also daily life, so it feels familiar. That was the prompt for the rest of my work in The Future Feels Familiar – a series of photographic prints and Polaroids, and also a zine.

Scarlett, tell us about your role in the exhibition. Scarlett: I got selected to be a part of it alongside J, who is mentoring me. I'm creating a large-scale mixed media work to go alongside J's photography and video work. The exhibition sounds quite personal touching on topics like queer identity, neurodiversity and female expression. Tell us about that. J: The way that I work in general is very much centred around myself as a person and the relationships that I exist within. As a queer, trans, non-binary, First Nations, Māori artist, there's a lot of interest in not only the connection between people, but the connection between spaces. For example, how the history of queer people is documented is often not from our own direct experience or voices. So a lot of my work is this celebratory grouping of people: it is trans joy, it is queer love, it is family. 

Scarlett: My practice has a strong focus on feminism. I am motivated to highlight women’s perspectives because I still think women still go unheard and unseen in our society. Through my work I want to take the power back and make art that is unapologetic, cathartic and shows how we are all connected to each other through our most vulnerable human experiences.What are each of your favourite artworks in the exhibition? J: I work quite prolifically! I'm always making a lot of things (I have ADHD) so I always need something new. I can't look at the same thing for a long time as I lose my mind or lose interest. Because I made the zine most recently, that is the artwork I'm most interested in at this point in time.

Scarlett: I've only got the one big piece that's going into the exhibition. So I would probably say that one! Why are mentors important in creative fields? Scarlett: It's an awesome opportunity to be able to get advice from a practicing artist in the same field, and to get advice on the best way to have fun with your art while talking about intense subjects. They (J) pushed me out of my comfort zone to go for this artwork that I am creating for the exhibition. 

J: I think the advice of someone who isn’t necessarily a teacher at your school can be helpful to tell you to take advantage of these things! I came in (to LCI) and saw this stunning gallery! To do something in a space where you’re not paying money for it, and have teachers to help you, and access printing facilities is a rare opportunity. I told Scarlett to just do it and have fun with it! I found being a mentor reassuring too, because I had a bit of imposter syndrome and thought, “What could I offer a student that already has teachers and the whole building?” But I found I did have some helpful information to share.What do you love about studying at LCI? Scarlett: I love that in my conceptual units there’s a mix of students from different streams, not just visual arts. So there’s fashion and graphics students too, and everyone comes together which means you get a taste of what everyone else is studying and also opens up connections for the future. But my favourite part is probably that all the teachers are practicing artists; instead of someone just reading from a PowerPoint, they’re in the real world, creating. And obviously the facilities are insane! 

Can people come and check out your works? Scarlett: Yes, at LCI Melbourne's Open Day on Sunday 18 August, J and I will give a talk and the opening night is on Thursday 22 August from 5pm to 8pm. Anyone can come and check out The Future Feels Familiar on weekdays between 11am and 4pm, from 22 August to 13 September. 

This lovely chat was brought to you in partnership with our pals at LCI Melbourne. Discover the fashion, design, art and entrepreneurship degrees that are different by design at the LCI Melbourne Open Day on Sunday August 18th from 10am to 3pm.