Amber Cronin is an emerging cross-disciplinary artist living and working on Kaurna Yerta (Adelaide, South Australia). Situated amongst an ecology of research that includes sculpture, plants, soil, textiles, sound, video and performance, her practice gathers people, objects and matter in combinations that facilitate meditations on connection and discovery.
Developed over extended periods through conversations and collaboration, Cronin’s work collects and expounds on the sensory qualities of everyday actions, reframing them as participatory sites of ritual activity.
Born out of an oscillation between global phenomena and intimate encounters, her recent work finds its genesis in the complex politics of the ecological crisis– art as means of contemplation– as a means of survival, that allows us to enter a shared dimension with ourselves and the more-than-human.
Amber’s practice operates as an ecology between studio work, gallery presentation, research, facilitation and engaged community projects. Alongside her own practice, Amber freelances as a program curator for organisations and festivals including South Australia’s Nature Festival, Papershell Farm and developing independent artist led research projects. She was an Australia Council Future Leader 2019-2020 and remains active in the alumni network. Amber completed honours (Visual Arts / first class) in 2020. She advocates and lobbies with peak industry bodies and artist-led groups. She facilitates workshops and research projects. The relationships fostered through these roles are foundational to her relational arts practice.
As founding co-director of The Mill 2012-2018 (providing national/internationally focused arts programming adjacent to studio spaces in the Adelaide CBD), Amber has been focused on creating a space for dialogue for interdisciplinary and emerging practices. Her involvement with The Mill exemplifies her interest in audience driven works and community development through artist-led projects.
Amber is a passionate advocate for the arts and her socially engaged practice leads her to work within communities with deep consideration for the value that art and artists brings to society.
