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Trauma, renewal and the grounding force of fire in new exhibition at MRAG

intouch Magazine
May 11
2 min read

A person in a dark field at night stands behind a line of a small fire. The orange flames contrast with the shadowy background.

Maitland Regional Art Gallery (MRAG) presents Fire Scars, a powerful new solo exhibition by photographer Renae Saxby exploring fire as both a destructive and regenerative force.

Based on Wonnarua Country in Maitland, New South Wales, Saxby is an award-winning photographer recognised for her portraiture, live performance photography and remote landscapes. Across her practice, she maintains a sustained focus on the relationship between people, culture and the environment.

In Fire Scars, Saxby turns the camera inward, drawing from deeply personal experiences to create an intimate body of work that reflects on grief and healing. Shot between her family’s property in Salisbury, NSW, and remote Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, the exhibition captures moments where destruction and renewal coexist.

MRAG Director Gerry Bobsien said the exhibition offers a profound experience for audiences.

“These photographs are grand imprints of natural beauty. They capture moments that can shift between destruction and regeneration, expertly conjured up by Renae Saxby.”

Fire occupies a complex place in our lives. It has the power to devastate, yet it is also essential to renewal, clearing the landscape for new growth and leaving behind both scars and the possibility of regeneration.

For Saxby, fire became a personal metaphor and grounding presence during a period marked by profound loss.

“A few years ago, I experienced a series of traumatic events. It was a time of great loss for my family followed by a series of unseasonal bushfires and controlled burns," Saxby said.

“During this time, I was diagnosed with a condition called Functional Neurological Disorder, which affects the brain’s ability to send and receive signals. I was feeling so much pain and grief on so many fronts and fire became a grounding and calming force for me. I wanted this body of work in Fire Scars to reflect that tension between destruction and renewal.”

Fire Scars is on exhibition at Maitland Regional Art Gallery until 14 June 2026. Find out more at mrag.org.au/exhibition/fire-scars

Celebrate the exhibition with an evening with the artist on 15 May 2026. This is a free event, but bookings are essential via m rag.org.au/whats-on/fire-scars-exhibition-launch-event

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