TONGUE TIED by Charly Oakley

Important information: Opening Night - Monday 12th October (7pm to late) With speeches and acoustic performance Tuesday 13th October (1pm to late) BYO Headphones. This gallery is Charly Oakley's innovative brain child - an offering to community to engage with music and art in an alternative, immersive way. TONGUE TIED is a response to the ice-cold, rocky waters of grief - the shock, the shattering of illusions, and the wordlessness of a pain you did not anticipate confronting in your youth. Showcasing work from four of Melbourne's finest up-and-coming photographers - Tess Rogers, Annabelle Bahuth, Campbell Stiff and Charlotte Dirckze - Oakley proudly presents a collaborative and creative instalment of seven images that move through the psychosomatic phases of loss. The collection is a primal and piercing adaptation of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' 1969 framework on the 5 stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Oakley responds to this framework through the lived experience of a young person unequipped to navigate the complex emotional journey through grief. Our partner: 20Talk is a charity that supports young people with relatable, accessible mental health education. Only 2% of government funding in mental health is allocated to prevention. 20Talk want to fix that. They deliver free mental health maintenance and first aid courses around Australia, and create comprehensive media and campaigns that speak to young adults 18-32. Last year, we raised upwards of $3,000 for 20Talk. The TONGUE TIED gallery encourages community to come together and continue raising funds for mental health. Along with opportunities to donate directly, there will be prints, postcards and merchandise available, with 100% of the profits going directly to 20Talk. https://www.20talk.com.au Accessibility: At this event, there are two spaces - the primary gallery space, and a secondary reflective space. The reflective space is intentionally built for you to respond, create, sit and decompress in. There will be art therapy tools available, as well as mental health resources provided by 20Talk. I welcome you to use this space at your leisure, and as you see fit. Both spaces will have low, warm lighting and soft music. The reflective space will have places for you to sit or lie down - chairs, cushions, yoga mats etc. You are welcome to bring your own journal or reflection tools. Tea is available. There will be a small selection of headphones available for those who do not have access to a pair. 2BSEEN is an accessible venue and wheelchair friendly. There is a bathroom on site. Getting there: The route 70 tram via Swan St takes you right out the front of the gallery - Stop 16, Park Grove. 2 hour street parking available. And a gentle content warning - these images depict states of fragile mental health. *By purchasing a ticket, you agree that you may be filmed or photographed during the event, and that this footage may be used for promotional and social media content. Stay human. I love you. CO