Kate Hadley (b. 2001) lives and works between Wollondilly and Sydney. Her practice is rooted in a conversation with the proverbial “inner child” and a desire to return to remembered places and times. Drawing from an archive of family photographs, Hadley explores the presence and absence of memory, considering how images can act as vessels for recollection. Tone and opacity are central to her process as she navigates the tension between the clarity of nostalgic imagery and the inaccuracy of memory itself. Through her return to childhood and investigation of girlhood, her work opens a dialogue around misremembering, reflection and the contemplation of self.

In 2025, Hadley completed a Bachelor of Fine Art at the National Art School, with an emphasis on painting. Her work has been included in selected group exhibitions highlighting emerging artists, including Fresh and Found at Scratch Art Space, Marrickville (2025); New Year Fresh Canvas at Goodspace Gallery, Chippendale (2025); and New Frontiers at STALA Contemporary, Perth. She recently presented her first solo exhibition, Linear, at The Fenwick in Sydney. Hadley is currently completing a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) at the National Art School.