Lismore Regional Gallery will soon host OCCURRENT AFFAIR - a major exhibition featuring new and recent works by influential Aboriginal artist collective proppaNOW.
Established in 2003, proppaNOW is one of Australia's leading cultural collectives. Collective members Vernon Ah Kee, Tony Albert, Richard Bell, Megan Cope, Jennifer Herd, Gordon Hookey and Laurie Nilsen explore the politics of Aboriginal art and culture, re-thinking what it means to be a 'contemporary Aboriginal artist'.
OCCURRENT AFFAIR addresses current socio-political, economic and environmental issues, while celebrating the strength, resilience and continuity of Aboriginal culture.
Engaging wordplay through its title, OCCURRENT AFFAIR references the sensational journalistic style of some television current affair programs.The exhibition strives to embrace the slippage between language and its associated readings to probe and present new narratives.
The exhibition will reflect on the ongoing state of affairs affecting Aboriginal communities – issues that are relevant to all Australians.
The proppaNOW collective was founded to give urban-based Aboriginal artists a voice. They present a unique and controversial perspective of Black Australia which is sometimes confronting and always thought provoking.
ProppaNOW focus on creating art that raises awareness of Aboriginal urban expression that depicts a contemporary story, they reinforce that Aboriginal Australia is a living culture that has evolved over time and dispel the notion that Indigenous art needs to be from a remote area to be 'authentic'.
Director at Lismore Regional Gallery Ashleigh Ralph said "it is with great pleasure that we can showcase some of Australia's preeminent contemporary artists at Lismore Regional Gallery".
"OCCURRENT AFFAIR is engaging and thought-provoking, providing a platform for important conversations around socio-political and cultural issues," she said.
"Our public programs offer the community meaningful engagement with these themes. Bringing this exhibition to Lismore reinforces the legacy of Lismore Regional Gallery as the cornerstone of cultural life in the Northern Rivers and a gallery that attracts national and international audiences."
OCCURRENT AFFAIR will also be proppaNOW's last exhibition as a collective.
This is an exhibition from The University of Queensland Art Museum, touring with Museums & Galleries of NSW. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body. This project is assisted by the Australian Government's Visions of Australia program.
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