Guest Curator – Myall Creek and Beyond exhibition
On the afternoon of Sunday 10 June 1838 a group of eleven convicts and ex-convict stockmen led by a squatter, brutally slaughtered a group of twenty-eight Aboriginal men, women and children who were camped peacefully at the station of Myall Creek in the New England region.
Although there were many other massacres of indigenous people that occurred during the Frontier Wars across Australia, this one had special significance because it was the only time when white men were, arrested, charged and hung for the massacre of Aborigines, following a police investigation.
The Myall Creek Massacre was extensively documented through the police investigation, courtcase and media coverage. So it cannot be denied. While justice was seen to be done in this case, it also sent a signal throughout the wider community that white men could be brought to trial for killing Aboriginal people. However we know that massacres continued to happen around Australia until the 1920s. Many of these were conducted in secrecy, but others were known to local communities, lawmakers, church groups and their leaders.
Some people still deny their existence today.
The New England Regional Art Museum is inviting expressions of interest from independent, Australian-based, Indigenous curators to curate the exhibition Myall Creek and beyond.
Myall Creek and beyond is a special project being developed by NERAM in partnership with the Friends of the Myall Creek Memorial that will produce an exhibition and range of public programs responding to the Myall Creek Massacre and court case of 1883 and the theme of reconciliation. The final exhibition will open at NERAM in association with the 180th anniversary of the massacre in June 2018.
The selected curator will work independently on a contract basis with the Museum over roughly an 18 month period starting in February 2017.
The chosen curator will be responsible for the development of the exhibition from concept to presentation, including but not limited to the selection of artists and art works, preparation of a curatorial essay and other interpretative material, assisting with sourcing additional resources and funding if appropriate. The curator will collaborate with NERAM on the preparation of all interpretation material to accompany the exhibition as well as preparation of the exhibition for display. The curator will also be available for participation in related public programs and events including presenting a paper at the symposium and will assist with community advocacy, promotion and marketing of the exhibition.
The Regional Arts Fund is an Australian Government initiative that supports sustainable cultural development in regional, remote and very remote Australia.
Further information: Curator EOI Myall Creek and Beyond 2
Closing Date for Expressions of Interest: 27 January 2017
For more information please contact: Rachael Parsons, Manager Curatorial and Exhibitions, New England Regional Art Museum
Tel: 02 6772 5255
Presented in partnership with
