Opening Weekend Programmes | "Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia"

Join us as we celebrate the opening of "Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia" with a series of weekend programmes organised in partnership with and with the support of National Gallery of Australia and Wesfarmers Art.

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"Ever Present" Opening Lecture by Tina Baum
Fri 27 May | 7.15PM (GMT+8)
The Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium, Level B1, City Hall Wing, National Gallery Singapore
Registration required here: https://bit.ly/EverPresentTinaBaumLecture

Learn more about the world’s oldest continuous living culture through the art of the First Peoples of Australia.

In this lecture, Tina Baum (Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the National Gallery of Australia) introduces the histories and stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art through their powerful artistic expressions and interconnected cultural concepts. Baum will highlight the importance of challenging stereotypes about First Peoples and what defines their art.

About the Speaker
Tina Baum is from the Gulumirrgin (Larrakia)/Wardaman/Karajarri peoples of the Northern Territory and Western Australia and has over 30 years’ experience working in museums and galleries throughout Australia. She has been the Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the National Gallery of Australia since 2005. She curated the "Defying Empire: 3rd National Indigenous Art Triennial" (2017) and "Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia" (2021).

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Curatorial Roundtable | Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia
Sat 28 May | 3PM (GMT+8)
Glass Room, Level 4 Mezzanine, Supreme Court Wing, National Gallery Singapore
Registration required here: https://bit.ly/EverPresentCuratorialRoundtable

"Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia" surveys historical and contemporary works by over 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across Australia—the largest exhibition of its kind to travel to Asia. Drawn from the collections of the National Gallery of Australia and The Wesfarmers Collection of Australian Art, the artworks show deep interconnections between past and present, as well as extraordinary artistic innovation.

This roundtable brings together Tina Baum (National Gallery of Australia), lead curator of "Ever Present", with collaborating curators Phoebe Scott and Goh Sze Ying from National Gallery Singapore, and Helen Carroll, curator of Wesfarmers Arts. They will discuss the behind-the-scenes aspects of "Ever Present", from its conceptualisation and development, to its display across Australia and Singapore. They will also share insights into the cultural connections explored between First Nations' Art from Australia and the art and broader history of Southeast Asia.

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Artist Talks | Julie Gough and Tony Albert
Sun 29 May | 2PM (GMT+8)
City Hall Chamber, Level 3, City Hall Wing, National Gallery Singapore
Registration required here: https://bit.ly/JulieGoughTonyAlbertArtistTalk

Hear from Julie Gough and Tony Albert, two First Nations artists featured in "Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia", as they share stories behind their works in the exhibition and give insight into their respective artistic processes.

About the speakers
Julie Gough is a Trawlwoolway artist, writer and curator whose practice re-presents often conflicting histories, frequently referring to her own and her family’s experience as Tasmanian Aboriginal people. Her current work in installation, sound and video provides the means to explore ephemerality, absence and recurrence. She has held over 20 solo exhibitions and exhibited in more than 130 group exhibitions since 1994 including The Clemenger Award, NGV (2009), Biennale of Sydney (2006), Liverpool Biennale, UK (1999) and Perspecta, AGNSW (1995).

Tony Albert, Girramay/Yidinji/Kuku-Yalanji peoples, is a contemporary Australian artist whose works encompass text, video, drawing, painting and three-dimensional objects, examining the legacy of racial and cultural misrepresentation, particularly of Australia’s Aboriginal people. Albert has exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Musée d’Aquitaine, Bordeaux, France (2014); Singapore Art Museum (2013); National Museum of China, Beijing (2013); and Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Israel (2011). He was also included in the 10th Havana Biennial, Cuba (2009) and "Dark Heart", the 2014 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art.

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About the exhibition
"Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia" surveys historical and contemporary works by over 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across Australia—the largest exhibition of its kind to travel to Asia. Drawn from the collections of the National Gallery of Australia and Wesfarmers Collection of Australian Art, the artworks show deep interconnections between past and present, as well as extraordinary artistic innovation.

"Ever Present" celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, while also grappling with Australia’s complex histories. Art emerges as a tool of resistance, asserting deep connections to country, as well as using wit and satire to confront viewers and encourage conversations about critical issues in the world today. The works challenge stereotypes about First Nations people and what defines their art.

Find out more about the exhibition at https://www.nationalgallery.sg/everpresent

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Disclaimer
The National Gallery Singapore respects the diverse points of view of all artists and speakers in this exhibition. The views and perspectives expressed by them are their own and may not reflect the position of National Gallery Singapore.