Project Description
Local Aboriginal artist collective proppaNOW invited Indonesian artsworker collective Taring Padi to come to Brisbane to collaborate during a month-long residency on the design and execution of a large-scale banner ‘Ngaliya Budjong Djarra’ (Our Mother Earth) 2023-24, which was displayed on the western façade of Griffith University Art Museum (GUAM).
GUAM co-facilitated a summer scholarship with Griffith University Law Futures and the Creative Arts Research Institute (CARI) which enabled six students from the QCAD, CAIA and Griffith Law School to work alongside the artists.
Central to the project was six-week shared studio residency at the Paint Factory, Yeronga. Fully supported by GUAM and an anonymous Queensland donor, the studio residency included multiple opportunities for engagement with the local community, particularly the local First Nations and artist communities. At the residency’s culmination, GUAM mounted a large survey exhibition of Taring Padi’s almost three-decade long history titled ‘Tanah Tumpah Darah’.
This exhibition included over 120 banners, prints, paintings and puppets from Taring Padi’s beginnings in the turbulent post-Suharto period of the 1990s to contemporary issues concerning marginalised communities and ecological preservation, and broader collaborations throughout the world.
The exhibition’s official opening included an artist-led symposium with members of Taring Padi and proppaNOW. During the first weeks of the exhibition the collectives held joint workshops with students from the QCAD’s printmaking department and the CAIA program, as well as students from local high schools, to create prints and sustainable banners which were then installed in the gallery.
The entire project was documented in a new publication that took the form of a broadsheet newspaper, published by GUAM.
For this project GUAM won the category of ‘Projects: Organisations with Paid Staff’ at the Queensland 2024 Gallery and Museum Achievement Awards (GAMAA).
Project Personnel and Beneficiaries
GUAM is open to all members of the public who are invited to view and learn from ‘Taring Padi: Tanah Tumpah Darah’ during GUAMs regular opening hours. The exhibition and accompanying public programs created opportunities for Australian and international artists in Brisbane, to exhibit their artwork and facilitate workshops.
The Arts, Education, Law Summer Scholarship ran in conjunction with the exhibition with 3 students from QCAD (Sarah Zalewski, Emily Parker, Jorge M Brito) and 3 students from Law (Moana Danger, Rudolf Orbacedo, Aldrianna Manalansan) running workshops and engaging with the community.
High School tours and tours for QCAD students were held along with numerous public workshops, panel discussions and community activities.
Outcomes to Date
The exhibition concluded in May 2024 with over 3500 local, state, national and international visitors. During the exhibition period GUAM presented an extensive suit of public programming and hosted a residency with the members of Taring Padi during which they produced the large-scale banner ‘Ngaliya Budjong Djarra’ (Our Mother Earth) 2023-24, with proppaNOW.
On March 2, 2024, GUAM hosted an in-depth symposium, ‘Symposium: Taring Padi x proppaNOW’, it included keynote speakers: Dr Alexander Supartono, Warraba Weatherall and Shannon Brett. GUAM also hosted an opening event celebration for the community with live music from Taring Padi.
GUAM held free public programs including a panel discussion ‘Arts, Law & Human Rights’, puppet making workshops with local schools and students from QCAD and CAIA.
An event at The Paint Factory in Yeronga named ‘Taring Party’ where the artist collective invited the community to join them for food and music and to view artwork.
Project Significance
All of GUAM’s exhibitions are free, accessible, open to the public and contribute to SDG 4 ‘Quality Education’ and SDG 11 ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’ particularly 11.2.3 ‘Public access to museums’.
For ‘Taring Padi: Tanah Tumpah Darah’ casual staff and volunteers were upskilled through new opportunities. The continuing staff also upskilled in managing complex exhibitions, artist liaison and cross-cultural communications, risk assessments, donations and philanthropy.
GUAM held a full day symposium, free public programs including a panel discussion ‘Arts, Law & Human Rights’, an opening event with artists from Taring Padi and proppaNOW, puppet making workshops with East Brisbane State School, Brisbane State High School, QCAD students, CAIA students and tours for schools visiting from across the state.
GUAM also created new and strengthened old relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including: Griffith University Law Futures, CARI, QCAD, local education providers, artists, artist representatives, art collectives (Taring Padi, proppaNOW), and international art institutions (Framer Framed)