On March 11, Powerhouse volunteers headed on a cultural field trip to the 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art to discover the exhibition An Offering, A Burning, A Prayer. What a great discovery it turned out to be. The gallery is right in the middle of Haymarket, and for many of us it was our first time visiting.
We were incredibly lucky to have the exhibition curator, Con Gerakaris, guide us through the exhibit.
The exhibition brings together newly commissioned and recent works by artists Choy Ka Fai, Casey Chen, WeiZen Ho, Emma Pham, Jason Phu, and Savanhdary Vongpoothorn. The show explores the role of fire within ritual and ceremony, using the symbolism of Lunar New Year as a starting point. From the burning of incense and paper offerings for ancestors to the cleansing rituals that welcome the new year, fire becomes a powerful symbol of renewal, transformation, and release.
The exhibition also reflects on the energy of the Year of the Fire Horse, a moment associated with change, new direction, and a sense of forward movement. Across the works, themes of family, memory, and care appear alongside ideas of letting go and beginning again.
One of the interesting discussions during the tour was how these ideas of fire and renewal resonate with other practices, including First Nations Cultural Burning in Australia—carefully managed fires used to sustain the health of Country and encourage new growth. These connections added another thoughtful layer to the exhibition’s exploration of cycles, healing, and transformation.
The artworks themselves were wonderfully varied. Some works felt quiet and reflective, while others brought humor and playful energy into the space. We saw delicate works on paper, ceramics, textiles, video pieces exploring performance and ritual, and more.
For many of us, the visit was not only a chance to see a fantastic exhibition but also to discover a gallery we hadn’t visited before. The space is very peaceful; an interesting contrast with the busy streets just outside.
A big thank you to Con Gerakaris for the generous and insightful tour. If you haven’t visited 4A before, we recommend checking it out. The exhibition An Offering, A Burning, A Prayer concludes on 29/03.