Art Under Pressure: Dani Marti's Fallen Comes to Cessnock
- intouch Magazine
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
Performance Arts Culture Cessnock (PACC) has kicked off its 2026 season in spectacular style, with a stunning new exhibition by internationally recognised local artist Dani Marti now open to the public and running until 18 April.
Before the official opening, PACC members were treated to an exclusive first look at Fallen at the season launch event, Curtain Up on 2026, held mid-February. It was an evening that set the tone beautifully for what promises to be an exciting year ahead. Guests were welcomed into the Gallery for an intimate preview of the exhibition, accompanied by a mesmerising lyra hoop performance that brought the space to life in a truly unique and unforgettable way.
Adding a touch of local pride to the occasion was 13-year-old Amber Copeland from St Philip's Christian College, whose acoustic performance drew warm applause from the crowd. Members mingled over canapés and Lisa McGuigan Wines before heading into the theatre, where jazz band Round Midnight rounded out the evening with infectious energy and style. It was a vibrant celebration of creativity across multiple art forms — exactly what PACC does best, and a fitting launch for what looks to be a landmark year.
Fallen offers audiences a rare opportunity to engage with the work of an internationally exhibited artist whose practice spans sculpture, textile, installation and performance. Marti is known for transforming everyday industrial and domestic materials — melting, binding, knotting and weaving them into works that explore fragility, endurance and the instability of form. It is deeply considered, visually arresting work that rewards a slow and curious eye.
At the heart of Fallen is Furious Red (Vermell Furiós), a striking circular relief made from melted domestic plastics that speaks to states of pressure, urgency and permanent emergency. Alongside it, works such as Torn Borders, Portrait of a Tudor, DUST and Brianna weave together themes of contested boundaries, vulnerability, memory and perception.
Together, the works present a world under pressure — where structure and fragility are in constant, compelling negotiation.
