This May, aMBUSH Gallery will open its doors at Kambri, the Australian National University’s incredible new $260 million redevelopment, with a culturally significant inaugural exhibition, While You Were Sleeping, featuring the work of contemporary First Nations artists from across Australia.
This striking exhibition will profile and celebrate 14 emerging and established First Nations artists, with works traversing several genres, including painting, illustration, sculpture, film, photography and mixed media.
Informed by the artists cultural heritage the exhibition seeks to contribute to a cross-cultural dialogue and reassert cultural pride and knowledge with the viewer. In some ways, you can see each artist challenge the narrative between commentary and the ideology of an evolving ancient culture.
Artists featured in the exhibition include David Cragg, Robert Fielding, Noni Cragg, Blak Douglas, Elizabeth Close, Julie Dowling, Warraba Weatherall, Otis Carey, Benita Clements, Michael Cook, Damien Shen, Shane ‘Mankitya’ Kookaburra, Charlotte Allingham, Jason Wing and Wayne Quilliam.
This first exhibition ignited the aMBUSH Gallery team’s desire to curate and produce an event showcasing some of the country’s best talent.
The launch party and inaugural exhibition will be held on the evening of Thursday, 23 May, with a Welcome to Country ceremony hosted at 6:30pm by Ngunawal elder Wally Bell, music from Canberra-based DJ Blanket, plus local wine and beer.
Also, on show to the public that night will be the stunning new event spaces at Kambri, which will be available to the general public for commercial hire and where aMBUSH Gallery will host artists talks, film screenings, music and other creative events.
WHAT: Official opening of aMBUSH Gallery at Kambri at ANU
WHEN: Arrival from 6pm on Thursday 23 May, ’19, Welcome to Country at 6:30pm
WHERE: aMBUSH Gallery, Kambri, The Australian National University, Acton ACT 2601
