Emerging in the late 1980s, a new wave of vocal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander activism placed Brisbane at the forefront of an urban art movement.
Drawing on the Museum of Brisbane Collection, Voice in Actionexplores the city’s unique socio-political climate during the 1980s and its impact on the rise of strong new artistic voices.
Visual artists began creating work which reclaimed both Aboriginal and western imagery as a means of asserting their identities and experiences, confronting stereotypes and challenging the status-quo.
Strong cross-cultural influences ran throughout this movement, with artists from Indigenous and non-Indigenous backgrounds coming together socially and artistically. These collaborations helped dissolve perceived boundaries and amplify the widespread call for social change.
While artists from this period forged a global conversation which continues today, they have also played an active role in defining Brisbane. Artwork relating to contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues continues to prompt the re-evaluation of
local histories, perceptions of identities, and how we see ourselves and each other.
Artists featured include Vernon Ah Kee; Christopher Bassi; Richard Bell; Megan Cope; Michael Eather; Leah King Smith; Vincent Serico and Judy Watson.
Image: : Richard Bell, Still… 2017., acrylic on canvas. Museum of Brisbane Collection
