TheBureau for theOrganisation ofOrigins (BOO) explores the national preoccupation with identity by examining Australia’s cultural self-evaluation leading up to, and ‘celebrated’ on, Australia Day.
ARTISTS | Rushdi Anwar, Peter Burke + Adele Varcoe, Linda Choi, Dale Collier, Peter Drew, Jaye Early, Megan Evans, Carly Fischer, Raafat Ishak + Tom Nicholson, Sean Lowry, Mayatili Marika, Wandjuk Marika OBE (c.1930–1987), Ramon Martinez-Mendoza, Performprint (Joel Gailer + Jenny Hall), Benjamin Sheppard, Nick Waddell, Elmedin Žunić
The ‘BOO’ is a collaborative and interdisciplinary visual arts project that converts the BLINDSIDE Artist run space into a working ‘bureau’ to comment on Australian identity on and around Australia day 2017. As a bureau, the project embodies the idea that the nation state essentially operates an administrative bureaucracy. The format supports the themes while providing a space to discuss and debate various issues regarding Australian identity as revealed through a range of artistic gestures and discursive events. The exhibition incorporates panel discussions, workshops and publications along with a range of carefully curated interdisciplinary art works. The ‘bureau’ context prompts dialogue around issues of heritage, place and belonging and the organisational systems that end up affecting everyday experience.
The exhibition will be regularly activated by BOO artists and invited contributors during opening hours across the exhibition period. Benjamin Sheppard will be basing his drawing research in the Bureau for the entire exhibition period. Peter Burke + Adele Varcoe will be intermittently engaging with the gallery and surrounds and guest Artists will be invited to engage with the Bureau across the exhibition period. Elmedin Zunic will stage a performance of his Archaic Typewriter work at the opening on the 26thof January.
Artist/Curator | Benjamin Sheppard
Opening Night | Thursday 26 January, 6pm–8pm
Panel Discussion | Thursday 2 February, 6pm–8pm
Exhibition Dates | 26 January to 11 February 2017