Terra Nullius
Contemporary art from Australia
Long ago the British Crown declared Australia to be a "terra nullius" - a no-man's land - so that it could lay claim to a continent already inhabited by an indigenous people. Finally in 1992, the High Court of Australia reversed this distinction and granted the descendents of the aborigines land property rights. However, despite improvements to their legal standing, the aborigines continue to struggle with intolerance when exercising their rights. And although Australia presents itself to the world as an open society with rich cultural diversity, its restrictive immigration laws are an indication of the country's contradictory image.
The exhibition Terra Nullius presented Australian contemporary art which critically examines and comments on this situation. In photos, videos, mixed media installations, conceptual artworks, performances and texts, the artists addressed the legal struggles of Australia's indigenous people, their social exclusion and the disregard for their culture.
Artistic director: Frank Motz
Co-Curator: Deborah Kelly (AU)
Artists: Vernon Ah Kee, Tony Albert, Richard Bell, boat-people.org, Jon Campbell, Destiny Deacon & Virginia Fraser, Tina Fiveash, George Gittoes, Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro, Gordon Hookey, Dianne Jones, Mike Parr, pvi collective, Tony Schwensen, Merran Sierakowski, Soda_Jerk, SquatSpace, Natascha Stellmach, Judy Watson (all AU)
Venues and schedule:
ACC Galerie Weimar: 26 Jan. - 22 Mar. 2009
Halle 14 in the Baumwollspinnerei Leipzig: 1 May - 26 July 2009, opening 30 April 2009, 5 p.m.