Withdrawn from the fish market 退出市场的魚

Please join us for the opening of our Lunar New Year exhibition “Withdrawn from the fish market 退出市场的魚” by renowned Shenzhen artist Shen Shaomin on Friday 23 January from 6PM - 8PM.

Shaomin’s installation utilises objects sourced from the former Sydney Fish Market, marking its closure ahead of the opening of the new site. Drawing on the visual language of the wet market, the installation constructs a space where living bodies are sorted, stored, and prepared for consumption.

Carp are not commonly eaten in Australia and are classified as an invasive pest species due to their destructive impact on river ecosystems. Introduced as a food source, they spread rapidly through the Murray–Darling Basin, causing long-term ecological damage to the waterways. Yet globally, carp are highly valued. The carp is the national fish of China, where they symbolise good fortune, happiness, and resilience in traditional culture.