Yhonnie Scarce was born in Woomera, South Australia, and belongs to the Kokatha and Nukunu peoples.
Scarce’s interdisciplinary practice explores the political nature and aesthetic qualities of glass and photography. Her work often references the ongoing effects of colonisation on Aboriginal people; in particular, her research has explored the impact of the removal and relocation of Aboriginal people from their homelands and the forcible removal of Aboriginal children from their families. Family history is central to Scarce’s work, drawing on the strength of her ancestors, she offers herself as a conduit, sharing their significant stories from the past.
Scarce’s professional profile has risen exponentially and in 2022 her work titled The Near Breeder was exhibited at Ikon Gallery Birmingham. Simultaneously, Shadow Creeper, another major installation, was shown at Palais De Tokyo, Paris, and was acquired by the Foundation Opale, dedicated to contemporary art, notably Australian Indigenous art, in Lens, Switzerland. Also in 2022, Scarce’s work Orford Ness was featured in the Aichi Triennale, Japan, and she finished an outstanding year exhibiting Missile Park at Gropius Bau, Berlin. This major commission from her exhibition at ACCA and IMA showcases works spanning the past fifteen years of her career.