Sahra Martin
(b. 1987, Melbourne. Lives and works in Melbourne)

Sahra Martin is a designer and archivist who works closely with creatives and cultural organisations to enhance the communication, documentation and preservation of overlooked, experimental or community-centred practices and collections. Through her design and archival practice Everywhere_Nowhere_, Martin works across print and digital design, visual identity, research, communications and collection management. She has a particular interest in projects that merge design, arts practice and the archival – especially those that amplify the voices of women and gender diverse creatives. 

On the wall and on the bookshelf in Babel Bookcase, you will find several works by Martin for the Women’s Art Register, Australia’s living archive of women’s art practice. Since 1975, the artist-run, not-for-profit organisation has provided an inclusive, independent platform for research, education, advocacy and support, enhancing the status of women artists and addressing issues of equity and cultural heritage. You will see posters and publications by Martin, including issues of the Women’s Art Register Bulletin, and Leaving Your Legacy: A Guide For Australian Artists, a workbook designed to help artists navigate the complexities of estate planning.

On the bookshelf, you will also find Martin’s archival work for Bambuco, an arts company that used bamboo to create temporary installations combining elements of theatre, sculpture and architecture. (The company was mostly made up of rock climbers from the rural town of Natimuk, in the west of Victoria. Between 1998 and 2008, they created over 30 large-scale works within Australia and internationally.)

Martin’s important work allows us to access the cultural history of Melbourne and Victoria and to learn from past practices that might otherwise be forgotten. 

Martin graduated from Swinburne University’s Communication Design (Honours) program in 2016, after which she was awarded Australasian Graduate of the Year by the Design Institute of Australia. Since then, she has worked for multiple design studios in Melbourne, before switching her focus to her interdisciplinary practice and work with Everywhere_Nowhere_. Prior to her work in the design realm, Martin worked as a public sector archivist, with qualifications in art history, arts management and archives management. She also has a background in communications and project management for government and not-for-profit organisations. Martin currently serves on the Women’s Art Register Committee, managing communications and publishing projects.