BRINGING together 35 First Nations artists from across the country to present 15 new bodies of work, Ceremony is the new touring exhibition which opened at the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) on Saturday, December 17.
Curated by Arrernte and Kalkadoon woman Hetti Perkins, the new exhibition partners the National Gallery of Australia with SAM for the fourth iteration of the National Indigenous Art Triennial and centres on the practice and observance of ceremony in First Nations cultures, highlighting the central role it plays in the creative practices of many First Nations artists.
On a nationwide tour, SAM is the second stop for this extraordinary exhibition and the only venue in Victoria to be honoured with its presentation.
Drawing together a diverse range of artists working in a variety of art forms including sculpture, painting, ceramics, moving image, photography and more, Ms Perkins said, “Ceremony is not a new idea in the context of our heritage, but neither is it something that belongs only in the past. In their works, the artists in this exhibition assert the prevalence of ceremony as a forum for art making today in First Nations communities.
“In each ceremonial action, artists make an individual mark in our history. Ceremony is the nexus of Country, culture and community, and the fourth National Indigenous Art Triennial is another stitch in a timeless heritage,” Ms Perkins said.
The Fourth National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony opened at SAM on Saturday, December 17 and will show until Sunday, February 26, 2023, with free entry.
