Jorge Garcia Bolle is a poet, performer, and storyteller whose
work bridges decades of creative and educational practice.
Making his debut exhibition at Gallery Unbound, Jorge presents a
body of poetry shaped by a lifetime of observing, teaching, and
engaging with the world through language, rhythm, and human
connection.
Originally emerging as a children’s book author in 1985, Jorge
has since published numerous works in collaboration with Dutch
illustrator Bert Dekker, alongside two poetry collections and
contributions to various anthologies. His poetic voice is grounded
in performance; his read-aloud sessions have filled schools,
libraries, and theatres, where his words come alive through
sound, gesture, and presence.
Jorge’s artistic practice is deeply influenced by his 35-year career
in primary education, including 25 years in kindergarten teaching.
His work reflects a sustained commitment to curiosity,
imagination, and the expressive potential of everyday life.
Whether nurturing school gardens, leading theatre-based
language projects, or guiding students through creative play,
these experiences echo throughout his poetry, rooted, observant,
and human.
His connection to Gallery Unbound carries a personal lineage. On
two occasions, Jorge has proudly presented the artwork of his
father within the gallery space: acts of homage that quietly thread
memory, inheritance, and artistic dialogue across generations.
In this exhibition, he extends that dialogue through a collaborative
visual work created with an anonymous Dutch artist, known only
by the initials LH. The piece, titled Sea Me, is accompanied by
Jorge’s poem of the same name, text and image unfolding
together, inviting the viewer into a layered encounter of seeing
and being seen.
This work also marks Jorge’s first exploration of metal printing, a
medium he is drawn to for its sharpness, clarity, and sustainable
qualities. The precision of the material mirrors the distilled nature
of his poetic voice.
Beyond the gallery, Jorge has long engaged with visual art and
collaborative projects in Amsterdam, alongside a lifelong
connection to soccer, community, and movement, rhythms that
subtly pulse through his writing.
Now based in Northcote, Jorge continues to explore poetry as a
living, performative art form. This exhibition marks a new chapter,
bringing his words and images into the gallery space, where
poetry is not only read, but experienced.
Sea me
Precious corals colour
the powerful oceans
as a gentle painting.
Fish swim as angels of art
in waving water.
Hidden scales
as transparent skin.
Count the fish
count on us
to protect the beauty.
