EXHIBITION CATALOGUES

Melbourne’s major new art museum draws upon the Michael Buxton Collection as a springboard for exhibitions, events, research, publishing and ideas.

buxton_contemporary

Badimaya artist Julie Dowling @dr.juliedowling cre

Badimaya artist Julie Dowling @dr.juliedowling created four portraits in response to the 2008 National Apology to the Stolen Generations. Part of the Buxton Contemporary Art Collection, the full series is on view as part of our current exhibition, Observance.

Observance is open today with Rebecca Belmore: Turbulent Water from 11am-5pm.

Julie Dowling
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴: 𝘖-𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰 (𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩) 2008
Installation view, Observance
Buxton Contemporary, University of Melbourne 2021–22
Courtesy of the artist and Niagara Gallery, Melbourne and Yamaji Art, Geraldton
Photograph: Christian Capurro

Through the lens of her own ancestral history, Tra

Through the lens of her own ancestral history, Trawlwoolway artist Julie Gough encourages non-Indigenous audiences to consider their continuing roles in, and proximity to, unresolved narratives of memory, time, absence, location and representation. Two of her contemplative works of resistance are currently on display at Buxton Contemporary, including the titular 𝘖𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦.

Observance and Rebecca Belmore: Turbulent Water are open today, 11am-5pm.

𝘖𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
Installation view, Buxton Contemporary, University of Melbourne 2021–22
Photograph: Christian Capurro

Badimaya artist @dr.juliedowling created four port

Badimaya artist @dr.juliedowling created four portraits in response to the 2008 National Apology to the Stolen Generations. Initially exhibited as part of a solo exhibition titled 𝘌𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢 𝘉𝘦𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘢 (𝘛𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘚𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸), the Aboriginal women depicted express the duality of profound loss and sadness, while celebrating their sense of belonging and resilience. Embodying the elements of fire, wind, water and air, each of the women is portrayed with colours and designs that connect them to their Country and share their ancient and ongoing ties to the land and waters.

Pictured is 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴: 𝘖𝘸'𝘸𝘢 (𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳) 2008. Visit Observance 11am-5pm today to see all four in The Elements series.

Julie Dowling
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴: 𝘖𝘸'𝘸𝘢 (𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳) 2008
Buxton Contemporary, University of Melbourne 2021–22
Courtesy of the artist and Niagara Gallery, Melbourne and Yamaji Art, Geraldton
Photograph: Christian Capurro

First presented at the Canadian Pavilion of the 20

First presented at the Canadian Pavilion of the 2005 Venice Biennale, Fountain captures a transformative gesture where water turns into blood. Water, a precious resource in much of the world, is abundant in Canada. Belmore was thinking about a future time when we might go to war over water.

“If you look at current politics, brutality and colonisation continue to go on. So my idea is that between water and blood, we repeat all these acts against one another. It’s endless.”

Fountain 2005
Installation view: Rebecca Belmore Turbulent Water, Buxton Contemporary, University of Melbourne 2021–22
Collection: Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Courtesy the artist
Photograph: Christian Capurro

Born in Papua New Guinea, artist Lisa Hilli uses s

Born in Papua New Guinea, artist Lisa Hilli uses storytelling to interpret and explore Melanesian histories. Currently on view in Observance, her work Material Histories #1 is a multi-layered film examining the history of trade in Papua New Guinea. The work reveals the way textiles were used as a means of communication between would-be trading partners.

The gallery is open Wed-Sun, 11am to 5pm.

Observance
Installation view, Buxton Contemporary, University of Melbourne 2021–22
Photograph: Christian Capurro

Rebecca Belmore has often made interventions at sp

Rebecca Belmore has often made interventions at specific sites where colonial power structures operate. Her work Perimeter traces physical and conceptual lines through the urban landscape of Sudbury, Ontario. Using florescent flagging tape, Rebecca Belmore surveys Indigenous land and all it has lived through.

Turbulent Water is on view until 08.05.22

Please note our upcoming seasonal opening times:

Closed Sat 25 December – Tuesday 28 December
Open Wed 29 December – Friday 31 December
Closed Sat 1 January
Open Sunday 2 January

Perimeter 2012
Installation view: Rebecca Belmore Turbulent Water, Buxton Contemporary, University of Melbourne 2021–22
Image courtesy the artist
Photographs: Christian Capurro

Turbulent Water and Observance provide space for s

Turbulent Water and Observance provide space for seven First Nations female creatives from across the world to share their own stories on their own terms. Both exhibitions embody the strength, vulnerability and wisdom of distinctive First Nations cultures from Canada and the Australia pacific regions, drawing parallels yet remaining intimately personal to the artists.

Australia has many things in common with Canada, including a Westminster-based parliamentary system of government and membership of the Commonwealth. The two countries also share a history of colonisation and the forced assimilation of Indigenous peoples.

Turbulent Water is the first Australian survey of Rebecca Belmore, member of the Lac Seul First Nation (Anishinaabe) and is co-presented with @griffithuniversityartmuseum and co-curated by Wanda Nanibush, Curator of Indigenous Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, and Angela Goddard, Griffith University Art Museum Director.

Observance is curated by Hannah Presley and Samantha Comte and features the work of Buxton Collection artist Julie Dowling (Badimaya) with Karla Dickens (Wiradjuri), Julie Gough (Trawlwoolway), Lisa Hilli (Gunantuna, Tolai people, Papua New Guinea), Betty Muffler (Pitjantjatjara), Angela Tiatia (Samoa).

1: The Named and the Unnamed 2002
Installation view: Rebecca Belmore: Turbulent Water, Buxton Contemporary, University of Melbourne 2021–22
Collection: Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver
Image courtesy the artist
2: Observance, Installation view, Buxton Contemporary, University of Melbourne 2021–22
Photography by Christian Capurro

We’re back! Two exhibitions open today at Buxton

We’re back! Two exhibitions open today at Buxton Contemporary 🌺

Turbulent Water features the first solo Australian exhibition of Rebecca Belmore, member of the Lac Seul First Nation (Anishinaabe). Curated by Wanda Nanibush and Angela Goddard for @griffithuniversityartmuseum.

We also open Observance, featuring six female First Nations artists: Karla Dickens, Julie Gough, Lisa Hilli, Betty Muffler, Angela Tiatia and Buxton Contemporary Collection artist Julie Dowling. Curated by Hannah Presley and Samantha Comte.

The gallery is open Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm.

🔗 In bio for more info

2: Rebecca Belmore, Fountain 2005 (still) Collection: Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. Image courtesy the artist
3: Julie Dowling The Elements: O-thero (Earth) 2008 Courtesy of the artist and Niagara Gallery, Melbourne and Yamaji Art, Geraldton. Photograph: Christian Capurro © Julie Dowling

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘦𝘮 br

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘦𝘮 brought artists from the Buxton Contemporary collection into creative dialogue with Australian poets. 🤍🕊 What ensued was an expansive exhibition, a series of new commissions, a performance program and a publication.

This was also the final Buxton Contemporary exhibition for Senior Curator @Melissa_Keys. We’re delighted to follow her future work with @heidemoma.

We look forward to welcoming you back to Buxton from December 10 with two new exhibitions. Stay tuned!

Installation views, 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘦𝘮, Buxton Contemporary, The University of Melbourne, photographs by Christian Capurro.

Load More... Follow on Instagram

We respectfully acknowledge the Boonwurung and Wurundjeri people of the Eastern Kulin nation, the traditional owners of the land on which Buxton Contemporary is situated.

Pin It on Pinterest