West Australian glass artist Sabrina Dowling Giudici set to represent Australia in The Venice Glass Week
The Shark Bay world heritage site and the lagoons of Venice might seem like they are worlds apart, but Italian-Australian artist, Sabrina Dowling Giudici endeavours to show what unites these two unique regions in her latest glass-art collection SALTWATERS which she is presenting at the prestigious The Venice Glass Week from September 14-22 2024 in Italy.
Glassmakers from all over the world will exhibit in the lagoon city, which is renowned around the world for its artisanal glass. This year, Sabrina Dowling Giudici will be the sole Australian participant, in what will be her The Venice Glass Week debut.
SALTWATERS is a tribute to Dowling Giudici’s two homelands, Australia and Italy, and she hopes her collection will reaffirm the connections that bridge these two unique landscapes together. “I’ve always been driven to tell stories about human’s place and connection to creation through my glass art and I’m thrilled to be bridging vital habitat stories between Australia and Italy, with my latest collection, SALTWATERS, at The Venice Glass Week”, says Sabrina.
“This series of glass objects celebrates seagrasses as the unsung heroes of the sea and focuses on the seagrasses found in both the lagoon of Venice in the Mediterranean Sea of the Northern Hemisphere, and the Shark Bay world heritage area of Western Australia in the Indian Ocean of the Southern Hemisphere. This glass art series aims to bring together the seagrasses of these two fundamentally different geographical, ecological and cultural places, thus bridging the two worlds through the narratives of the glass objects.” 
Dowling Giudici was born in Rome, Italy and moved with her family to Carnarvon (Gwoonwardu) in regional Western Australia when she was a toddler. She credits growing up in the multicultural and picturesque Gascoyne Region as the inspiration for her artwork stories.
“I was constantly surrounded by stunning landscapes with unique and vibrant flora, fauna and marine life, which in turn has inspired and shaped how I see the world and how I have pursued my creative endeavours. I draw my inspiration from where the outback reaches the sea, particularly from the Gascoyne Region which has globally significant natural heritage.”
“Over the decades, local families from Carnarvon, Denham, Exmouth and Gascoyne Junction have graciously shared their knowledge and passion with me and guided me through my creative journey and storytelling.”
Malgana Woman and Elder, Auntie Pat Oakley is thrilled to see Sabrina showcase the Shark Bay world heritage site in her works for The Venice Glass Week and share this unique West Australian landscape with an international audience. “I am extremely excited to endorse Sabrina’s art and incredible exhibition SALTWATERS which speaks to my heart and spirit as a Malgana Gantharri (Elder) because it highlights a vital element in the struggle to preserve our rich and unique environment of Wirriya Jalyanu (Seagrass) which possesses an incredible ability to mitigate climate change.”
Dowling Giudici’s unique approach to her artwork includes working closely with scientists. “The dualism between art and science is unnatural to me as I was traditionally raised as a central Italian with an artisanal family culture. Visually and tactilely expressing natural sciences in 3D is an instinctive practice and delving into the flora and fauna of the Gascoyne’s marine, river and wetland habitats is the basis of the nexus between my art and related science research.”
“My transcultural creative practice centres on how artisanal crafts can blend with science and cultural understandings as a vehicle for advocating social improvements. It’s my desire through initiatives like SALTWATERS to influence a better care of the place and people linked to Shark Bay. Through my creative work with kiln-formed glass, I consistently seek ways to increase the value of my contribution toward healing and regrowth and I believe when old wisdom and contemporary understandings are shared together, new and useful meanings can emerge and influence better decisions.”
As part of SALTWATERS, Dowling Giudici who lives between Perth and Carnarvon, will create 14 glass art pieces, curated by former AGWA Director, Dr Stefano Carboni, and exhibited in a solo art space at Oresi Gallery.
Prior to her works as a glass artist, Sabrina founded Aartworks with her husband, Tony Dowling - an organisation that facilitates between artists and cultural networks, processes and institutions. Sabrina has won numerous collaborative public art projects including the Radio Wave Bench Sculpture in Carnarvon, which was a finalist at the German Passagen Design Awards, and was also the recipient of the prestigious award for the Glass Artists of WA in 2022.
SALTWATERS is located at Oresi Gallery, San Paolo 62, Sotoportego de Rialto, Venezia
