Author(s): National Gallery of Australia

Art

Bringing together works by 30 contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across the country, Defying Empire commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum that recognized Aboriginal people as Australians for the first time. It explores the strength and resilience of Australia's Indigenous people since first contact, through the historical fight for recognition and ongoing activism in the present day. This moving and powerful art touches on the issues of identity, racism, displacement, country, nuclear testing, sovereignty and the stolen generations through many media: painting on canvas and bark, weaving and sculpture, new media, prints, photography, metalwork and glasswork. 'We defy: By existing; By determining our identity; By asserting our histories; our culture; our language; By telling our stories, our way; By being one of the oldest continuous living cultures in the world.' - Tina Baum, NGA Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art