Tell: Contemporary Indigenous Photography

'Tell: Contemporary Indigenous Photography' explores Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life, history and culture through a focus on photography and its expanded field. Bringing together new commissions and works by 17 Australian Indigenous artists and collaborators, the exhibition presents a diverse collection of photo-based and photo-inspired works that embrace tradition and culture, as well as the potential that new technologies offer contemporary practice.

Set against a backdrop of social and political discourse, photography is located as a powerful outlet for self-expression and self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. The exhibition’s collective narrative simultaneously focuses outward and inward in a cyclic reflection that illustrates stories of experience, history and culture. 'Tell' is a project of reframing and redefining, provoking a deeper understanding of Indigeneity and the complexities that come with this.

Artists
Moorina Bonini
Maree Clarke
Bindi Cole Chocka
Brenda L Croft
Destiny Deacon
Robert Fielding
Deanne Gilson
Jody Haines
Dianne Jones
Ricky Maynard
Hayley Millar-Baker
Kent Morris
Pitcha Makin Fellas
Steven Rhall
Damien Shen
Warwick Thornton
James Tylor & Laura Wills.

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Curator
Jessica Clark

Presented by the Ballarat International Foto Biennale in association with Sydney Festival and UNSW Galleries.

Ricky Maynard, 'Wik Elder, Arthur', 'Wik Elder, Bruce' and 'Wik Elder, Gladys' from the series Returning to places that names us 2000. Installation view, 'Tell: Contemporary Indigenous Photography', UNSW Galleries, 2018. Photograph: Silversalt Photography

 

Installation view, 'Tell: Contemporary Indigenous Photography', UNSW Galleries, 2018. Pictured: Robert Fielding Milkali Kutju 2015 and Ngapartji- Ngapartji 2017; Moorina Bonini You've Had Your Turn, Now it's MINE #1-3 and Box components #1 2017; and Destiny Deacon Daisy and Heather discuss race 2016. Photograph: Silversalt Photography

 

Installation view, 'Tell: Contemporary Indigenous Photography', UNSW Galleries, 2018. Pictured: Brenda L Croft Self-portraits on country 2014; Kent Morris 'Boonwurrung (St Kilda) - Currawong', 'Boonwurrung (St Kilda) - Crow', and 'Boonwurrung (Windsor) - Magpie' from the series Cultural Reflections – Up Above #3 2017. Photograph: Silversalt Photography

 

Maree Clarke Mourning Necklace 2017 and Self Portrait with Mourning Necklace 2017. Installation view, 'Tell: Contemporary Indigenous Photography', UNSW Galleries, 2018. Photograph: Silversalt Photography

Public Program

Curator & Artist Talks
11am Saturday 6 January, UNSW Galleries

Associate Professor Felicity Fenner, Director of UNSW Galleries; Cherie McNair, Director & CEO of the Australian Centre for Photography; 'Tell' exhibition curator Jessica Clark; and exhibiting artists Samuel Gratacap (France) and Deanne Gilson (Australia) engage in a series of talks exploring the two exhibitions 'Tell: Contemporary Indigenous Photography' and 'In Your Dreams'.