• Burning Generation exhibition features artwork based on research with young Australians affected by the Black Summer bushfires
• The exhibition is compiled of artworks from youths aged 12 to 24 about their experiences of reactions to the fires
• Burning Generation will be on display in Wagga Wagga from Saturday 20 July to Thursday 15 August

A research project led by Charles Sturt University academics has culminated in a visual representation of how the Australian Black Summer bushfires affected the country’s youth.

Senior Lecturer Dr Rachael Fox in Wagga Wagga and Associate Professor Andrew McGrath in Bathurst, both with the Charles Sturt School of Psychology, conducted research with young people who were affected by the Black Summer bushfires in 2019 to 2020.

The research was conducted in 2022 and 2023 in the Snowy Valleys and Bega Valley, in collaboration with local artists and researchers, funded by the NSW Department of Rural NSW and Charles Sturt University.

The result of the research was the powerful exhibition Burning Generation, which is part of a broader project, the ‘Rural Australian Young People’s Experiences of Climate Disasters: Collaborating on Creative Action’.

The exhibition has already been shown in Tumut and Bega and is creating conversations about the needs and experiences of rural young Australian during climate disasters.

“Burning Generation presents an exhibition of art and comments, opinions and experiences creatively communicated by rural young Australians aged 12 to 24 years old, across NSW, who experienced the Black Summer Bushfires,” Dr Fox said.

“The exhibition includes high quality art, thought provoking messages and helps all of us to learn about the resilience and importance of young people in rural communities.”

The themes in the artwork include community resilience and experiences of considerable difficulty during the bushfires. These include being in close proximity to fire, expected loss of possessions, home and loved ones, displacement after disaster, destruction to local country and health and mental health consequences.

Professor McGrath said working with young people was a very rewarding experience.

“It was very exciting to see their skills progress under the guidance of the artists we worked with,” he said.

“They are the generation who will have to grow up with the impacts of climate change and the main aim of this project was to help give them a voice and a way of addressing and thinking about this through creative action.”

Students have also communicated their feelings on climate change through the artworks.

Dr Fox said research engages young people in discussions and action around climate change and climate disasters but work, to date, has not focused on young people in rural areas.

“This exhibition creatively explores meanings made by such young people,” she said.

“The curation has involved the qualitative analysis of the art and words by the young people and reflections on original methods of engaging young rural Australians which has relevance to an audience across Australia.”

Dr Fox and Professor McGrath have backgrounds in working with young people on difficult experiences and said the exhibition deals with serious themes but also has messages of hope and positive ideas of resilience.

The project was funded by the Charles Sturt University, Department of Rural NSW and through a Research Seed Grant obtained by Sustainability at Charles Sturt in 2021.

Burning Generation officially opens at 10am on Saturday 20 July, followed by a public lecture from 11am by Dr Fox and Professor McGrath.

The exhibition will be on display at the H.R.Gallop Gallery, Building 21 at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga until Thursday 15 August.

School groups are encouraged to visit the exhibition and meet with a member of the research team who can discuss the artwork and projects with students. Learning outcomes involve areas related to art, youth citizenship and climate change and environmental issues.