The flows of migration across the globe, whether voluntary or not, has resulted in the intercultural contact of many different people. For those born into settler societies like Australia, with family originating from other countries, growing up in this dichotomy can be a confusing and conflicting period.
Transitioning from childhood to adulthood is usually compounded with cultural transitions as questions about identity come to the forefront of development. There may be a time in their lives where they choose to completely disassociate from their cultures due to embarrassment or insecurity. However, there is a noticeable pattern to be traced whereby as these individuals grow older, they reconsider their roots, identity, culture, and traditions.
Responding to this year’s Critical Animals Creative Research Symposium theme of ‘Give and Take’ in a very literal context, this exhibition considers the inheritance of family cultural traditions and how artists delve into the past to navigate their futures. FULL CIRCLE explores how artists come to reconsider their roots and identity, and go on to create and express versions of their cultural traditions in contemporary art practice to be passed on and communicated to a wider audience.
Bringing together the works of local and international artists in a variety of mediums ranging from sculptural installation, video works and large-scale textiles, this exhibition highlights the shame of lived experiences, pays tribute to family members and diasporic histories and engages in traditional forms of art making passed down through generations.
Featuring artists Athena Thebus, Hossein Ghaemi, Sancintya Mohini Simpson, Elham Eshraghian and Quishile Charan and curated by Nanette Orly.
Critical Animals and The Lock-Up aim to encourage and elevate emerging artists and curators to reflect on the Critical Animal Symposium themes through contemporary arts practice. An annual public call out gives an emerging curator the opportunity to curate the exhibition at The Lock-Up including associated development residencies through The Lock-Up’s nationally regarded Artist in Residence Program.
The Lock-Up has been a key partner of Octapod for over ten years, supporting a range of TINA creative initiatives and events. In 2018, The Lock-Up continues as the key Critical Animals venue, working closely with Critical Animals to support the presentation of the Symposium and exhibition.
OPENING EVENT – 6PM SUNDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2018
Coinciding with this exhibition is the artist talk GIVE AND TAKE: A FULL CIRCLE EFFECT, featuring four of the exhibiting artists and presented in partnership with Critical Animals as part of the Thyis is Not Art Festival. This panel will investigate how these artists came to reconsider their roots and identity, and how they moved forward to create versions of their cultural traditions via contemporary art practice.
Speakers include Hossein Ghaemi, Sancintya Mohini Simpson, Elham Eshraghian, Quishile Charan alongside writer and curator Andy Butler and FULL CIRCLE curator Nanette Orly.
ABOUT NANETTE ORLY
Nanette Orly is an emerging curator based in Sydney, Australia. Her curatorial practice is deeply engaged with themes surrounding identity development, cultural histories and offering alternative perceptions of contemporary society. Drawn to fine techniques and research-based practices to form interdisciplinary group or collaborative exhibition concepts, Orly has curated exhibitions in a number of galleries across Sydney. She is Co-Director of artist run initiative Cold Cuts in Petersham and a participant in this year’s 4A Curator’s Intensive program.
In 2018, she will complete her Master of Curating and Cultural Leadership at UNSW Art & Design.
