Aotearoa NZ welcomes Indigenous curators

Creative New Zealand Media Release 28 November 2016

Aotearoa New Zealand welcomes Indigenous curators in tri-nation exchange

Ten indigenous curators from Australia and Canada will be hosted by their New Zealand counterparts during a series of events in Aotearoa in December.

The exchange aims to help generate networks and collaborations between First Nations contemporary visual arts curators which will result in greater exposure to indigenous art for New Zealand and international audiences.

The gathering is the second stage of a First Nations Cultural Exchange which started with a successful programme hosted by the Australia Council for the Arts in Brisbane last year. Creative New Zealand is partnering with the Australian and Canadian Councils for the Arts to support the exchange.

Australia Council for the Arts CEO Tony Grybowski said the Council was proud to have hosted the first stage of the Cultural Exchange which brought together First Nation curators from three nations.

“Our goal is for Australians to cherish Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts, as our First Nations people are the most enduring art and culture makers. By creating opportunities for collaboration, this increases the creation of, and engagement with, these unique arts and cultures which is central to the Council’s strategic plan.

“Facilitating our First Nations arts workers in building lasting connections to their international peers, and supporting the resulting artistic collaboration and exchange, is a vital part of our overall vision for the enrichment of Australian arts both locally and globally.”
- Australia Council for the Arts CEO, Tony Grybowski

“The exchange is an opportunity for curators of contemporary indigenous art to share their experiences and explore both the similarities and differences of their practice. This will help to increase our collective understanding of how to curate and present a rich and unique source of art and knowledge.

“We are eager to continue to work with our international colleagues and are excited about opportunities for indigenous artists and curators internationally.”
- Creative New Zealand Chief Executive, Stephen Wainwright

“We’re thrilled to be able to support this multilateral partnership with our colleagues in Australia and New Zealand to further the exchange and sharing of knowledge between Indigenous curators of these lands. Support to Indigenous arts and cultures is a vital part of our strategic plan, as is international exchange.

“This unique collaboration highlights the voices of indigenous art professionals and is leading to exciting, innovative and constructive dialogues on art, society-building and healing that we look forward to sharing with our publics, at home and abroad.”
- Canada Council for the Arts, Director and CEO, Simon Brault

New Zealand curators involved in the programme are Megan Tamati-Quennell from Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand; Reuben Friend from Pātaka Art + Museum; Nigel Borell from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and Tauranga Art Gallery’s Karl Chitham.

Developed in consultation with the New Zealand curators, the programme will include:

• a public symposium If we never met: A wānanga on curating indigenous art at Pātaka Art + Museum, Porirua on 7 December 2016

• a public workshop Tai Ahiahi///Tai Awatea: Curating Contemporary Māori Art at City Gallery Wellington at 1-5pm on Thursday 8 December 2016

• tours and meetings at Te Papa Tongarewa and Auckland Art Gallery

• meetings with contemporary indigenous artists.

The third stage of the exchange will be hosted in Canada in 2017.

ENDS

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