The Torch is delighted to present the sixteenth annual Confined exhibition featuring 400 artworks by 400 First Nations artists whose lives have been impacted by the criminal legal system in Victoria. Each artwork resonates with connection—to Country, to Ancestors, to culture—and speaks to the enduring strength of identity and community.

The artworks and accompanying artist stories explore themes of darkness, light and the balance between struggle and resilience, confinement, and freedom.

Alongside a salon hang of extraordinary paintings, the exhibition will feature weavings created during women’s circles, didgeridoos innovatively made from matchsticks, carved emu eggs illuminated by light as well as hand-tufted rugs expressing Country and the land on which we walk.

Since 2009, Confined has provided a dedicated space for First Nations people who have been incarcerated in Victoria to share their stories, culture and lived experiences through art. The exhibition series serves as a poignant reflection on the disproportionate representation of First Nations Australians in our criminal legal system, underscoring the urgent need for change.

Presented as a major component of The Torch Statewide Indigenous Arts In Prisons and Community Program, Confined 16 continues The Torch’s commitment to improve the cultural, social, emotional, and financial wellbeing of First Nations program participants, empowering them to find new pathways beyond the criminal justice system.

Explore Confined 16 at the Glen Eira City Council Gallery, Monday to Friday 10am–5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 1pm–5pm.

100% of the artwork price goes directly to the artist.