Into the Dark is a new, exciting culmination point of Sharpe’s long career and a timely presentation that responds to war, the climate crisis, and the decline of truth. A response to the darkness plaguing our world today, the exhibition confronts our collective fears and asks whether naming our dread can transform our paralysis into awareness and resistance.

Supported by a robust public program, including curated talks, workshops, and live performances, new commissions are made possible by The Lock-Up’s Patrons Program.

OPENING NIGHT: 6-8pm, Friday 17 July

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This exhibition forms part of The Lock-Up’s 2026 curatorial season, A Call Across the Universe. Through sound, movement, image and encounter, artists and audiences are invited to tune in to new frequencies of understanding and exchange.

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE ARTIST: 11am, Saturday 18 July

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ABOUT WENDY SHARPE

Wendy Sharpe AM is one of Australia’s most acclaimed and awarded artists. She lives in Sydney and Paris.
She has won an extensive list of prizes, residencies and scholarships; including: winning the Archibald Prize, the Sulman Prize, the Portia Geach Memorial Award, the Calleen Art Prize, the Adelaide Perry Art Prize, the Gold Award and many more. She has had many international artists residencies in places and diverse as Antarctica, China and Egypt. In Australia, her artist residences’ include Australian Ballet, Opera Australia, Circus Oz and the State Library.

Sharpe received a commission by the Australian War Memorial as an Official War Artist, the first woman since WWII. She has painted major public murals, which include the Olympic pool size paintings at Cook and Philip Park Aquatic Centre Sydney.

In 2024 she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia medal for service to the visual arts. Sharpe has held over 70 solo exhibitions around Australia and internationally.

In 2024 she had a major solo exhibition, Spellbound, at the Art Gallery of NSW.