This artwork is part of our Sydney Contemporary 2024 presentation, exhibiting at Carriageworks 5-8 September.

Amber Hearn’s latest body of work is a series of self-portraits woven into landscapes that capture the anticipation of the arrival of her daughter, speaking to both the emotional and physical shifts within the body. The works highlight the complexities of labour and childbirth, whilst encapsulating the symbiotic relationship between the pain and beauty of that experience.

Says Amber of this work, “Echo in My Waters is a dreamy landscape and self-portrait capturing my experience during pregnancy and the feeling of a growing human moving/swimming inside of me followed by the sensation of birthing her into a water pool.

“This painting features layered segments of skin, water and ground interspersed with bulbous feminine forms and a grand gateway. Also inspired by the numerous waterways near my home in the Blue Mountains, including the spring from which I collect my drinking water, this work pays homage to the life-giving power of water. It echoes the gentle sounds, movements and frequencies that resonate within our bodies.”