In 2021, The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health, and Society (ARCSHS) at La Trobe University released “Writing Themselves In 4”, a national survey of health and wellbeing among LGBTQA+ young people in Australia. The report found that 81% of participants experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress.

“81 Percent (Australia)” makes this number visible using 81 surfaces (80 windows and 1 wall) in the River Room. It is hoped through increased awareness the work brings; support will increase for LGBTQI+ youth in Australia which in turn may drive this number down.

The work has two parts: “81 Percent (Australia): Someone You Know” and “81 Percent (Australia): For the Voiceless”.

There is a night and day element to the work, exploring 81% as a positive and negative statistic for the LGBTQI+ community in Australia. During the day as sunlight pushes colour into space, it is about the negative or 81% regarding psychological distress. At night, internal lighting pushes colour out from the building and this is about the light in the dark, or the positive 81%. The positive 81% refers to a different report released by the Pew Research Center in 2020 exploring global acceptance levels of homosexuality. It found 81% of respondents from Australia agree that homosexuality should be accepted by society.