We proudly welcome Kristan Oud as an ambassador to Emerge Australia.
Kristan’s journey with ME/CFS began in his first year of university. This left him confined to a darkened room, unable to see the sky or sunlight for nearly 7 years. This experience has helped him realise how precious the things we take for granted can be, and as an artist, has helped him capture the beauty of light, nature, and especially the skies above us.
His journey from bedridden to now has been one of acceptance that this is a serious condition that can only be treated with respect. While he has recovered to a point that living a relatively normal life has become possible, it was during his time recovering that he rekindled his love for art and in 2015, joined the Victorian Artists Society.
Since joining, Kristan has shown his work in over 60 select, and seven solo exhibitions. In 2020 he was honoured in joining a select few that have been awarded signatory membership to the Victorian Artists Society. His membership was presented to him by the Governor of Victoria, the Honourable Linda Dessau.
In 2022, Kristan’s work was exhibited in some of Melbourne’s most iconic hotels, and he began his own gallery. His work, in turn, has become publicly acclaimed and has been collected both nationally and internationally. Additionally, he began drawing a documentary of the city of Melbourne wanting to capture an image of the world’s most livable city, as it recovered from the world’s longest lockdown. The project proved to be a nightly adventure, drawing and capturing the essence of the industries which give Melbourne its soul.
“Melbourne’s recovery is like my own. Gradual but steady.”
In his role as ambassador for ME/CFS he would like to let people know that they can be okay in coming to terms with their new normal, rest while they recover, and better days are yet to come.
OUD GALLERY
495 Collins Street, Melbourne 3000
Visit Kristan’s website today – http://www.kjoud.com/
Please note moving images on the website, and this may cause initial visual discomfort to some people.
