To entertain all of you art lovers and culture seekers out there Paddington’s frenzied art scene has yet another gem for you this month. Christian Thompson, one of Australia’s leading Indigenous artists, is the focus of the prestigious Sydney’s Sherman Contemporary Art Foundations (SCAF) fifth “Collection+” exhibition which will navigate the intersection of art and fashion through his cross-disciplinary work. Not only one of the most exciting contemporary artists that Australia has to offer, Thompson is also one of the most internationally successful and widely exhibited artists we have seen for a while. Thompson’s impressive resume speaks for itself, boasting numerous international exhibitions and degrees, and making history in 2010 when he became the first Aboriginal Australian to be admitted into the University of Oxford where he obtained a Doctorate of Philosophy (Fine Art).
Christian Thompson Untitled (Blue Gum) 2007
Thompson’s work explores notions of identity, cultural hybridity & history through a multi-disciplinary practice that spans photography, performance, video, sculpture, sound, and often incorporates fashion-related imagery. Often referred to as ‘ground breaking’ it is understandable why Thompson has been the topic of conversation as of late upon stepping into the gallery. The exhibition houses a number of works from Thompson’s We Bury our Own, made in response to the Pitt Rivers Museum’s historic photograph collection from Australia, as well as a new sculptural work, All Revolutions are Led by the Young, 2013 will also be premiered as part of the exhibition.
The exhibition is curated by the extremely talented Melbourne based curator and lawyer Alana Kushnir, who has brought together an astounding selection of Thompson’s work to explore concepts of collection and ownership through ideas of the extinction and rediscovery of indigenous languages and the appropriation of Aboriginal material culture. As with all of the “Collection+” exhibitions, a key work has been selected from the Gene and Brian Sherman collection to inform the show. The exhibition stems from Thompson’s photographic series We Bury our Own, which is the central work for the show, and is featured alongside works loaned from major public and private collections worldwide. Having lived abroad for the past decade, it is only recently has Thompson returned to Australia and it has been a number of years since such a range of his work has been exhibited in Australia. The importance of Thompson’s work within contemporary indigenous art is astounding, and it is certainly a show that can not be missed.
Christian Thompson Untitled from the Blaks Palace series, 2002
Words by Emily Johnson
WHAT: Collection+ by Christian Thompson
WHEN: 23 October – 12 December 2015
WHERE: Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, 16–20 Goodhope Street, Paddington, NSW 2021
For more information click here or call: +61 (0)2 9331 1112
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