SHE/HER

FOUNDER, DIRECTOR

2020 —

Nixie-Claire is the founding director of Gallery 17 Space. She lives and works on the unceded lands of the Boon Wurrung and the Wurundjeri Peoples of the Kulin Nations. Nixie-Claire believes in the transformative power of love and the intrinsic good of people. She is a writer as well as a Philosophy Major who is currently working towards the completion of her Juris Doctor in Law at the University of Melbourne.

Nixie-Claire is inspired by the stories and the dreaming of our community. Growing up in Naarm and spending formative time in Paris, France, her development of self continues to be deeply enriched by the ever presence of creative expression within our world. She values introspection through new perspectives and shared truths.

For Nixie-Claire, 17 is a lifetime project. It transcends space to represent a concept of collectivism; an understanding that we are only as well as one another. It represents an active hope for a kinder and more conscientious world. It proposes a work ethic, value system and expansive multidisciplinary support network capable of guiding us towards it.

Nixie-Claire is passionate about universal accessibility to justice and empowerment through law. Inspired by the socio-legal theory of Jürgen Habermas, she intends to integrate the learnings of her degree with her creative practice, so as to tangibly contribute to legal reform in ways that accurately represent the ever-evolving needs of those most under-represented.

HE/HIM

CO-DIRECTOR

2020 —

Casey Hare is the Co-Director of Gallery 17, a teacher and an artist. Currently practising on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung Peoples of the Kulin Nations, Casey first migrated to Naarm from Canada in 2016.  His unwavering creative mission is to develop with the intention of discovery. Casey works at the critical intersection of community, creation, and education. He adamantly believes in the unique value in every practice and in the potential within every person, regardless of circumstance. 

Through his work as a visual arts instructor in Youth Justice, Casey navigates daily conversation of masculinity, orientation, heteronormativity and oppression. Through his performance work as a member of Variation Three, he challenges preconceived queer narratives through a contemporary lens of circus, movement and visual art. Casey now seeks to combat these socio-nurtured imbalances within youth culture, and aims to deconstruct the concept of standardised queerness.

Through Gallery 17, Casey aims to rebuild the societal value of art by offering community centric accessibility and opportunity. He aims to uplift those who are unheard, unseen and unappreciated and to facilitate spaces for unrestricted creative growth. For Casey, 17 is a vessel for change beyond its exhibition walls; it is a limitless, developmental ecosystem for the progressive arts.

SHE/HER

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, HEAD OF DESIGN

2020 —

Russia-born, Alexandra Khomenko is inspired by everyday encounters with banality in public and environmental realms. Today, she lives and works on the unceded lands of the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Peoples of the Kulin Nations.

Following the completion of a Fine Arts Degree at RMIT University in 2020, Alexandra is currently working towards the completion of a Masters of Architecture from the University of Melbourne. She holds a specific focus on attentive exploration, progressive thinking and technology within spatial practices in the twenty-first Century.

Alexandra believes in the value of presence and the momentary suspension of movement in order to facilitate space where introspective processing may occur. In her words, ‘the world is dying; people are moving faster. And yet, the potential for both beauty and salvation exists within observation.’

In addition to her role as Assistant Director and Head of Design at Gallery 17, Alexandra is Co-Manager of Australia's founding NFT art exhibition, SIDUS, opening in late 2022. Furthermore, she is a current intern at PGC Constructions as well as a committed member of the Russian Community Centre in Naarm.

For Alexandra, Gallery 17 links singular existence with community and culture. It connects innovative people who are present within the transition from today to tomorrow. The impact of this, she believes, is an empowered outlook on life, one that is socially, ethically and politically engaged. Through interacting with this process, Alexandra aims to understand the needs of those who, one day, she will design and build for. Currently, her purpose within this space is to promote values of sustainability in all modes of design as she continues to explore what it means to conscientiously exist.

SHE/HER

EXECUTIVE EDITOR, CO-ORDINATOR OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

2020 —

Born and raised in Naarm (Melbourne), Erika Gabrielle Beiza is an artist delving into the deepest depths of the mind, desires and the human experience as a whole. She does not believe in coincidences. Unpacking and understanding the recurring symbolism within her psyche and analysing the patterns that follow her in her day-to-day life found the core of her creations. 

Erika is constantly inspired by the strong sense of community within the local art scene. Erika dreams of a future where the often hierarchical and competitive spirit of the art world is a distant memory, where true creative freedom is encouraged, community is valued and the power of people is acknowledged and embraced.

Erika is inspired by cherished memories from her childhood where her relationship with art, specifically painting and drawing, blossomed. Within the Gallery 17 Collective, Erika is working to facilitate that same magical sense of community for others. Erika strives to build a haven for fellow creators living now and those still to come. She believes in the transformative power of feeling warmth and belonging.

SHE/THEY

HEAD OF SOCIAL MEDIA, PRODUCTION

2020 —

 Jonty is a South African multidisciplinary artist, currently based in Naarm, who uses performance and digital mediums to manipulate and challenge the pre-existing norms within society, specifically within the spectrums of gender and sexuality. Through their expression and their creation of surreal and other worldly environments, Jonty aims to create a universe for the ‘Other’, where there are no limitations or restrictions on how one is expected to exist.

Their aim is to create an all-encompassing space which leaks over into reality and influences the ways in which people view current norms surrounding human existence. Jonty believes that human kind is at a precipice, where there is now an opportunity for extraordinary change. They hope to influence and facilitate an environment which accommodates the ways of a new , all-inclusive world.

Gallery 17 extends beyond the physical. As a result, Jonty hopes to hold space for the community through the power of the digital world. Through the facilitation of events, coordinating 17’s media and hosting the Gallery 17 podcast, Of Vice & Virtue, their aim is to connect and engage deeply with their community , so as to navigate through this new world together.

HE/THEY

SOCIAL MEDIA ADVISOR, CO-DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

2020 —

Kabir is privileged to practice on the unceded lands of the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Peoples of the Kulin Nation. Through multiple mediums that connect through Kabir’s identity as a queer Punjabi, Kabir explores the multifaceted and chaotic nature of self. Their love for bright and eye-catching colour palettes is a manifestation of their appreciation of South Asian cultures.

Kabir is fascinated by expressions that accentuate and inspire joy in the everyday mundane. Through their design of bespoke jewellery, they transport wearers to unapologetically colourful and queer dimensions. They find inspiration in the limitless possibilities of the digital world and work to integrate this with more traditional forms of expression.

A consistent for Kabir, is their intention to unravel the issues that arise from living in a colonised and fractured world. Within 17, Kabir is focused on the expansion of community programs establishing them to be as accessible as possible to those who are underrepresented and consequently under-appreciated in the art world of Naarm. They explore the ways in which design and social media platforms can be embraced to achieve this. Kabir is proud to celebrate the innate diversity and strength of our community; unconditionally, this sentiment resides close to their heart.