Watch recordings of the symposium below.
This online symposium was a conversation between 16 First Nations artists, curators, and filmmakers, along with non-Indigenous scholars and museum professionals from Australia, Taiwan, Aotearoa, and the Philippines. It offered a space where First Nations creative practitioners who had not met, could gather, share ideas and insights, and develop connections. We hope these conversations inspire new ideas and generate opportunities for future dialogue and exchange. This sharing of knowledge will also help build networks and foster cultural understanding and cooperation between our countries.
The theme explored our relationship to the “land” from the standpoint of First Nations artists and filmmakers in our region. While our speakers’ perspectives and creative approaches are highly individualistic, some common themes have emerged around land and place which were further explored in this discussion:
- as a site of contestation and self-determination
- as a source of learning, sustenance, and creative production
- as a place where we might discover a sense of belonging, community, and culture.
The symposium comprised of panels which focused on different keywords relating to these common themes.
New fields of research and inquiry emerged from these conversations. We will publish a bilingual publication that will serve as a lasting record of this conversation, contribute to scholarship, and provide a useful resource for students, teachers, and museum professionals. An exhibition, featuring works by First Nation artists from our region, will also further develop this dialogue, research, and collaborative partnership.
The symposium was initiated and organised by Dr. Sophie McIntyre at QUT and it was developed in collaboration with colleagues, Dr. Fang Chun-wei (National Prehistory Museum in Taiwan), and Dr. Zara Stanhope (Govett-Brewster Gallery). We would like to acknowledge and thank our advisors, Dr. Leah King-Smith, Dr. Juliana McLaughlin (QUT) and Yuma Taru (尤瑪•達陸), along with Megan Tamati-Quennell (Govett-Brewster Gallery) who have provided valuable advice and support. We are indebted to the artists, film makers and scholars who participated in the symposium, and look forward to future dialogues and interactions. Finally, we would like to thank the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan (Spotlight Taiwan) for generously funding this symposium, and the Creative Placemaking for Social Impact research group for offering valuable practical support.
Agenda:
Download the full program or read the schedule below:
Day 1 – Thursday 7 October
The Symposium presented free online screenings of several award-winning documentary films by First Nations film directors from Australia, Taiwan, and Aotearoa. The screenings were available to attendees from Thursday 7 October, 9am until Saturday 9 October, 5pm.
FILM PROGRAM
Maralinga Tjarutja (2020)
Director: Larissa Behrendt
Running time: 52 minutes
Where Has the Land Gone? (土地 到哪 裏去 了?) (1997)
Director: Pilin Yapu/比令．亞布
Running Time: 34 minutes
Bastion Point—Day 507 (1980)
Directors: Merata Mita, Leon Narby and Gerd Pohlman
Running Time: 27 minutes
Day 2 – Friday 8 October
10:00–10:40am
Welcome – Organiser
Acknowledgement of Country – Wesley Enoch AM (Indigenous Chair, Creative industries, Education and Social Justice, QUT)
Opening Address – Edward Tao (Director-General, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Brisbane), opening remarks by Henry H. Lin (Deputy Director, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Brisbane)
Symposium Introduction – Organiser and Partners
10:45–11:45am
Keynote: Patrick Flores
Belatedly and Finally: The Early Time of the Indigenous in the Concurrent Contemporary
Professor of Art Studies at the Department of Art Studies, University of the Philippines & Curator of the Vargas Museum in Manila
This presentation will include a segment of the following film: Sakuliu; Director: Daw-ming Lee; Year: 1994
11:45-12:30pm
Lunch
12:30–2:00pm
First Nations Artist Panel 1 – History and Sovereignty
Vernon Ah Kee (Australia): Nothing important happened today
Chang En-Man/張恩滿 (Taiwan): Snail Paradise Trilogy: Setting Sail or Final Chapter
Kaihaukai Art Collective (Aotearoa): Mana i te whenua
Moderator: Megan Tamati-Quennell (Govett-Brewster Gallery, Aotearoa)
2:10–3:40pm
First Nations Artist Panel 2 – Land and Community
Judy Watson (Australia): Across Country, Waterlines
Akac Orat/陳豪毅 (Taiwan): The Traditional Amis Architecture & Its Environment in the Contemporary Context
Areta Wilkinson (Aotearoa): Paemanu, Ngāi Tahu artist collective: Tauraka Toi—A Landing Place
Moderator: Fang Chun-wei (National Museum of Prehistory, Taiwan)
Day 3 – Saturday 9 October
11:00–12:30pm
First Nations Artist Panel 3 – Site and Materials
Mandy Quadrio (Australia): Grounds for existence
Yuma Taru /尤瑪•達陸 (Taiwan): The Future of Origin & Land–the Revitalization of Atayal Dyeing & Weaving Materials
Sarah Hudson (Aotearoa): Reunion
Moderator: Sophie McIntyre (QUT, Australia)
12:30–1:00pm
Lunch
1:00–2:30pm
First Nations Artist Panel 4 – Place and Space
Leah King-Smith (Australia): disPLACE – how decolonising Place in the Museum creatively & critically engages conflict & resolution
Ciwas Tahos/林安琪 (Taiwan): Finding gender & Atayal identity in the context of new media art & cyberspace
Ngahuia Harrison (Aotearoa): Coastal Cannibals
Moderator: Zara Stanhope (Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Aotearoa)
2:30–3:30pm
Closing Remarks: Reflections & Future Directions
Moderator: Patrick Flores
Details:
| Location: | Online |
| Start Date: | 07/10/2021 [add to calendar] |
| Start Time: | 10:00am (AEST) |
| End Date: | 09/10/2021 |
| End Time: | 4:00pm (AEST) |
| Cost: | FREE |
| Organiser: | Sophie McIntyre |
| Enquiries: | If you have any questions about the event please contact: Sophie McIntyre (sophie.mcintyre@qut.edu.au) |