Barnaby Smith is a critic, poet and musician currently living on Bundjalung country. His art criticism has appeared in Art & Australia, Runway, The Quietus and Running Dog, among others. He won the 2018 Scarlett Award from Lorne Sculpture Biennale.

Unboxing the cultural impact of sneakers
Sneakers are a cultural phenomenon made up of paradoxes. Some see them as an accessible and inclusive force in fashion that serve as an outlet of self-expression for many; yet to others they are a symbol of out-of-control consumerism. Two Queensland exhibitions are embracing these dualities, though from contrasting angles: Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street at HOTA on the Gold Coast, and Torsion at Brisbane’s Metro Arts.