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Which artworks give you hope in despairing times?

ArtsHub asked a range of Australian artists to name a work that brings them hope and solace in difficult times like these.

3 Jul 2025 9:30

ArtsHub

Photographic artist depicting a scene in a natural landscape where two white horses are putting their heads against each other. There is some fog in the air, making the scene mysterious and magical.

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Darren Tanny Tan named this work by Hoda Afshar as a piece that stirs a sense of wonder and melancholic hope. Image: Hoda Afshar, ‘Touch’, from the series ‘In the exodus, I love you more’ (2014). Courtesy of the artist and Milani Gallery, Brisbane.

As the world teeters on the brink of so many calamitous conflicts and disasters, art may be not be the first thing on everyone’s minds.

ArtsHub has asked a range of Australian artists which piece of art does just that for them in their darkest hours. From music to painting, poetry and prose – their choices show how art can shift our senses and encourage us away from despair.

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Built upon a proud 25-year heritage, ArtsHub is Australia's leading independent online resource dedicated to the world of the arts. Our passionate team actively pursues a vision of being a world-class arts and culture publishing, media and marketplace business that significantly contributes to developing a dynamic, diverse and prosperous arts industry.