Belonging and Northern Disclosure

After two years, the Belonging and Northern Disclosure arts development workshops have now been completed at all 13 IACA member Art Centres. Delivered by experienced facilitators Edwina Circuitt, Rebecca Dagnall, and Curtis Taylor, the artistic outcomes of the workshops are incredible, as artists experimented with new materials and techniques including photography, filmmaking, painting, ceramics, and sculpture. Photography and film workshops were selected by artists from the Torres Strait and Mapoon on Cape York. The images and films which have been produced are extraordinary and the artists have learnt editing and post-production skills so they can continue this new art form. The project has left art centres with a legacy of skills, artistic expression and knowledge of best quality materials for the future.

To bring this exhibition to realisation, IACA is proud to partner with the National Museum of Australia (NMA) in Canberra who has recognised the cultural significance of the Belonging works. The NMA will acquire the collection and host the exhibition in mid-2021, before it tours nationally. The impressive body of work includes over 400 artworks representing each of the 13 IACA art centre members, bringing together artists from the islands of the Torres Strait, the Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York, and the tropical rainforest and coastal regions. The incredibly diverse environment is reflected in the vibrant and varied work of the artists which personifies the country and culture of Far North Queensland.

For more, read ‘A new age of appreciation for First Nations visual arts’ by Diana Carroll first published 4/10/19 on ArtsHub