BIO
Helvi Apted's practice spans sculpture, installation and expanded drawing, using textiles as a foundation. She uses soft materials to make artworks that blend the past and present. Her work delves into themes of grief, change, and embodied sensing. Through her work she explores personal and contemporary Australian social issues and invites the viewer into a space for reflection.
Helvi Apted (Finnish/Australian) was born Djilang/Geelong. Helvi received the R.L. Foote Design Studio Award, the Masters Mentoring VCA Art Award and has been a finalist in the Darebin Art Prize. Helvi has had solo exhibitions at Blindside, e.g etal, and group shows at Linden New Art Project Space, fortyfivedownstairs, George Paton Gallery, Trocadero Art Space, VCA Art Space, Unassigned Gallery and Glimpse Art Space. Helvi completed a Masters of Contemporary Art (First Class Honours) in 2023 at the Victorian College of the Arts.
CV
Born Geelong/Wathaurong 1979
Nationality Finnish Australian
Lives Melbourne/Naarm, Australia
EDUCATION
2024
Masters in Contemporary Art, (First Class Honours) Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne.
2010
Studio Art Program in Sculpture, Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne.
2009
Graduate Certificate in Visual Art, Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne.
2003
Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours), Deakin University.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2011
Metamorphose, Blindside, Melbourne.
2006-7
Pods, eg.et al, Melbourne.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Sample, Neon Parlour, 8-10 November 2024, 791 High Street, Thornbury.
Textile Inter(Action), (three-person show), Linden New Art Project Space, 26 September – 27 October 2024, St Kilda, Melbourne.
Working Memories, group textile show, fortyfivedownstairs, 8-19 October 2024, Melbourne.
Thread of my Body, Thread of my Bed, A textiles exhibition curated by Phoebe Greaves, Unassigned Gallery, 28 Feburary 2024 - 10 March 2024, 55 Edward Street, Brunswick.
Upcoming - Textile show with gallery visitor created weavings (three-person show), Linden Projects Space, Linden New Art, St Kilda, Melbourne.
2023
From Where I Stand, Second Year Masters of Contemporary Art, curated by Kim Donaldson, VCA Art Space Gallery, Southbank.
From With(in), (three-person show), Main Gallery, George Paton Gallery, 13 - 24 March 2023, Naarm/Melbourne
2022
Radical Self Care and Sustainable Art making group project, George Paton Gallery, Melbourne.
It’s A Process, First Year MCA Group Exhibition Curated by Kate Just, Artspace Gallery, Southbank.
‘When you think about feminism, what do you think?’ George Paton Gallery: Feminism 1975-2022. 16-27 May 2022, George Paton Gallery, University of Melbourne.
2013
Ready, Steady, Stop!, Brunswick Art Space, Melbourne.
2011
Sufferance, (two-person show), Trocadero Art Space, Footscray,
Flourish, Sculpture 2011, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, Melbourne.
2010
Art Afterhours Studio Art and Academy Exhibition 2010, Student Gallery, Victorian College of the Arts, Southbank.
2007
Graduate Certificate Exhibition, Student Gallery, Victorian College of the Arts, Southbank.
2006
Linden Postcard Show, Linden St Kilda Centre of Contemporary Arts, St Kilda.
2005
Art at Burnley Harbour, Contemporary Art Society of Victoria, Richmond.
2003
Natural Aesthetics, Concourse Gallery, University of Victoria, Canada.
2001
Spark: Profiles of Young Artists, The Courthouse Youth Arts Project, Geelong.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE AND PROJECTS
2023
Workshop participant building artworks as part of a collaborative effort for Agony in Lines by Sunny Kim, Grainger Museum, Parkville, Melbourne.
2022
George Paton Gallery Mentorship Program, mentee.
2020
Contribution to @COVID19QUILT, online global quilt project.
2015
Window Streamer Intervention, Installation, Northcote Central Shopping Centre (February – March).
2014
Drawing event, street intervention, Glimpse Gallery, Northcote.
AWARDS
2023
Winner, 2023 Ryan Foote Design Studio Award.
Finalist, 2023 Darebin Art Prize.
VCA Access Program, Masters Mentoring, VCA Art Award.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Faculty of the VCA and Music, The University of Melbourne, 2009 School of Art Graduate Exhibition Catalogue, Melbourne, 2009.