Art has long offered a way to translate complex or seemingly distant ideas into something that resonates more deeply with the public. Legal debates—particularly those around lawmaking and legislative design—are often viewed as impenetrable or abstract. This exhibition responds to that challenge, using art to transform legal research into experiences that are felt as much as understood. Through visual language, the works make legal concepts tangible, prompting exhibition-goers to reflect, question and ultimately support more responsive policy and legislative reform.

For many, the very foundations of law were built in an era when women were largely absent from the drafting table. For some of the law’s biggest critics, women in all their diversity continue to be required to fit their experiences into a pre-determined frame. In contrast, from Forghani’s collage to Valenzuela’s ceramics, colour, texture, fluidity and provocation push back against the law’s rigid lines. These works offer alternative forms of seeing—ones capable of holding uncertainty, contradiction and nuance.

At its core, art is a conduit for empathy. It allows us to inhabit perspectives beyond our own. This is true whether in the literal call for fathers to be empowered to ‘Be There’ in Awan’s film, or in the atmospheric, abstract animation through which Ferris depicts the gendered dynamics of modern slavery. Both works invite viewers to feel the human stakes behind legal questions.

Participatory elements amplify this emotional connection. In Come into my World, visitors can turn the pages of Doran’s book and look—quite literally—into the worlds of women small-scale miners. Kowald, in turn, confronts us with forms of virtual abuse whose real-world consequences we are only beginning to grasp.

Collaboration with artists extends far beyond aesthetics. For many of these artists, drawing becomes a form of inquiry—a way to challenge assumptions, reveal overlooked truths and inspire change. This ethos is captured in the deceptively simple, yet powerful message crafted by the young students from the International Grammar School, urging us to make play fair.

Art also traverses cultural boundaries, inviting viewers to enter experiences that may be far removed from their own. It does not simply inform; it shifts perspective. In Tori-Jay’s work, we encounter an alternative expression of the status quo—rooted in the lived experiences and strengths of the women of the Torres Strait.

This exhibition celebrates the synergy that emerges when creative practice meets rigorous research. Together, they push beyond the traditional edges of both law and academia. With Rewriting the Rules, it is hoped that the fusion of art and scholarship will not only provoke reflection but also help catalyse meaningful social and legislative change.

View references: Art for Impact Reference List