Hayley West’s practice relates to a lived awareness of death and memorial, working with sculpture, video, performance, and installation. Her research explores the realities of grief through personal experiences and artistic practice, focusing on the inevitability of one’s own death and the impact on those remaining. 

As an artist working in the public realm, Hayley believes in empowering the community by sharing practical knowledge through exchange and generosity. Her practice spans over 20 years of research, exhibitions, and residencies internationally and nationally.

Hayley has hosted DEAD AIR a weekly, live radio show on 94.9MAINfm since Nov 2021 and is now Vice-President of the committee; co-hosted Death Cafés 2013-23; a committee member of the Natural Death Advocacy Network and in the cemeteries and burial grounds working group; a contributor to the Victorian arm of the Australian Home Funeral Alliance; and was previously on the Historical Castlemaine Cemetery Trust 2018-22.

The Departure was once a physical studio & advocacy space located at The Mill. It currently exists in a transient form encompassing various projects. Please contact Hayley regarding art-related commissions such as bespoke ceramic ashes urns. She can also recommend reputable funeral industry businesses and individuals working in end-of-life care, other contemporary artists working in the realm of death, and give advice on running a Death Café in your own community.

respek for the artist

All work by Hayley West is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact all other credited photographers directly to discuss their individual licenses.