Works by leading Queensland artists Vernon Ah Kee, Richard Bell, Dennis Nona and Judy Watson feature in a national Indigenous exhibition opening at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane this week.
Arts Minister Rod Welford said Culture Warriors: National Indigenous Art Triennial will be on display at GoMA from 14 February to 10 May.
Brisbane is the fourth venue to stage Culture Warriors, the inaugural triennial exhibition developed by the National Gallery of Australia, Mr Welford said.
It exhibition, which has also shown in Canberra, Adelaide and Perth, offers Queensland audiences a unique opportunity to experience the incredible range and diversity of contemporary Indigenous art practice from across Australia.
Culture Warriors features more than 90 works created in the past four years by 30 leading Indigenous artists “ some use traditional materials in highly original ways, some revitalise cultural practices, and others employ contemporary technologies and cross cultural references.
Ten of the 30 featured artists are Queenslanders “ Vernon Ah Kee, Richard Bell, Dennis Nona, Judy Watson, Arthur Pambegan Jr, Daniel Boyd, Destiny Deacon, Danie Mellor and Christian Thompson “ highlighting the national and international profile of our state’s Indigenous artists.
Queensland Art Gallery Director Tony Ellwood said the exhibition, curated by Brenda L. Croft, Senior Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Art at the National Gallery of Australia, drew inspiration from the 40th Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum.
Culture Warriors pays tribute to a core group of artists whose careers span the four decades since the Referendum, including Jean Baptiste Apuatimi, Phillip Gudthaykudthay, John Mawurndjul, Lofty Bardayal Nadjamerrek AO and Arthur Koo’ekka Pambegan Jr, Mr Ellwood said.
There are also paintings on canvas by Daniel Boyd, Turbo Brown, Julie Dowling and Christopher Pease, an incredible bronze and pearlshell sculpture by Dennis Nona and textiles, weaving, new media, photo media, print making and installation by artists including Destiny Deacon, Treahna Hamm and Ricky Maynard.
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