Acca Podcast

DEFINING MOMENTS LECTURE SERIES: Founding of Gallery 4A and the inaugural exhibition in 1997 with Dr Mikala Tai ABOUT THIS LECTURE: In this lecture, Dr Mikala Tai discusses the founding of Gallery 4A in Sydney and its inaugural exhibition in 1997 featuring three Asian-Australian artists: Emil Goh, Lindy Lee and Hou Leong, curated by Melissa Chiu, 4A’s first curator and director. Tai considers the exhibition and the context in which the organisation launched and how 4A continues to expand and thrive. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr Mikala Tai is the Director of 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, and a curator, researcher and academic specialising in contemporary Asian art and Australian design. Tai has collaborated with local, national and international organisations to strengthen ties between Australia and Asia. As an academic Tai has lectured at both RMIT and the University of Melbourne, and devised and delivered the inaugural Contemporary Asian Art syllabus at RMIT (2012 – ) and the first China Fieldwork Course

A lively digital discussion, Think Tank #2 will engage with ideas of collaboration, collectivity, community engaged practice and the commons, as part of the Think Tank series as part of ACCA’s forthcoming exhibition Who’s Afraid of Public Space? Presented in partnership with Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC), and moderated by FCAC Artistic Director and co-CEO Daniel Santangeli, the panel will include contributors Eugenia Flynn, Kent Morris, Roberta Joy Rich and Kate Sulan. Read more about the speakers via the link below. ABOUT 'WHO'S AFRAID OF PUBLIC SPACE?' Developed with an assembly of advisors and collaborators, Who’s Afraid of Public Space? is a research, publication and exhibition project which ACCA is developing over 2020–22. ACCA has partnered with Abbotsford Convent, Arts Project Australia, Blak Dot, Bus Projects and FCAC to present a dispersed program of exhibitions and projects that consider critical ideas as to what constitutes public culture and to ask who might it be for? More information

In this lecture, Dr Stephen Gilchrist considers two major exhibitions as key examples of Indigenous curation that encode Indigenous philosophies of critical care and value — 'Aratjara: Art of the First Australians' 1993 at Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Dusseldorf; and 'fluent: Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Yvonne Koolmatrie, Judy Watson' at the Australian Pavilion, Venice Biennale in 1997. Part of ACCA's lecture series 'Defining Moments: Australian Exhibition Histories 1968–1999'. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr Stephen Gilchrist belongs to the Yamatji people of the Inggarda language group of northwest Western Australia, and is Lecturer of Indigenous Art at the University of Sydney. He is a writer and curator who has worked with the Indigenous Australian collections of the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra (2003–05); the British Museum, London (2008); the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (2005–10); and the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College (2011–13). He was also the Australian Studies Visiting Curator

DEFINING MOMENTS LECTURE SERIES CONTINUES: Listen to Dr Ted Gott discussing the landmark 1994 exhibition ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way: Art in the Age of AIDS’ at the National Gallery of Australia, which presented over 200 works on the subject of HIV/AIDS by more than 100 Australian and international artists. Part of ACCA's lecture series 'Defining Moments: Australian Exhibition Histories 1968–1999'. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr Ted Gott is Senior Curator of International Art, National Gallery of Victoria. He has curated and co-curated twenty-five exhibitions, including ‘Napoleon: Revolution to Empire’ (2012), ‘Gustave Moreau and the Eternal Feminine’ (2010), ‘Salvador Dalí: LiquidDesire’ (2009), ‘Modern Britain 1900–1960’ (2007), ‘Kiss of the Beast: From Paris Salon to King Kong’ (2005) and ‘The Impressionists: Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay’ (2004). In his former role as Curator of European Art at the National Gallery of Australia, Gott curated ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way: Art in the Age of AIDS' (1994), among ot

Listen to ACCA’s Senior Curator Annika Kristensen in conversation with ACCA Open artists Archie Barry, Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey, and Amrita Hepi and Sam Lieblich to discuss their new digital commissions that respond to the unusual times and cultural conditions in which they are produced.

In our final ACCA Book Club, Ellen van Neerven discusses 'Throat', their newly published poetry collection, which explores love, language and land, and shines a light on Australia’s unreconciled past and precarious present with humour and heart. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Ellen van Neerven is an award-winning writer of Mununjali Yugambeh (South East Queensland) and Dutch heritage. They write fiction, poetry, plays and non-fiction. Ellen’s first book, Heat and Light, was the recipient of the David Unaipon Award, the Dobbie Literary Award and the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Indigenous Writers Prize. Ellen’s second book, a collection of poetry, Comfort Food, was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Kenneth Slessor Prize and highly commended for the 2016 Wesley Michel Wright Prize. Throat is Ellen’s highly anticipated second poetry collection. Further information: https://acca.melbourne/program/acca-book-club-ellen-van-neerven/

DEFINING MOMENTS LECTURE SERIES: The first Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at the Queensland Art Gallery 1993 with Doug Hall AM ABOUT THIS LECTURE: In this lecture, Doug Hall AM reflects on the unique circumstances and legacy of the first Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane 1993, and how it was conceived as inseparable from the art museum’s conduct, collections development and its influence upon other institutional and programming activity. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Doug Hall AM was director, Queensland Art GalleryǀGOMA, Brisbane from 1987 to 2007. The first Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art was held in 1993. He conceived the idea for the Gallery of Modern Art and oversaw its development and opening in December 2006. He was Commissioner for the Australian exhibitions at the Venice Biennales in 2009 and 2011. He returned to Melbourne in 2010 and later appointed Associate Professor and Honorary Fellow, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne. He

In this edition of ACCA Book Club, Wotjobaluk writer, consultant, artist and curator Kat Clarke discussed the role of sensation and memory in the development of a new written work. Clarke read her story ‘The Road Trip’, written in association with the 2018 ACCA exhibition 'A Lightness of Spirit is the Measure of Happiness' and finished the session with the reading of a new poem. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Kat Clarke is a proud Wotjobaluk writer, consultant, artist and curator from the Wimmera. She is an active advocate within her own community and Land Council and holds strong relationships with multiple Melbourne and Victorian communities. Graduating from RMIT in Creative Writing and majored in Screenwriting, Clarke gradually developed her craft alongside learning the ways of her cultural lore and storytelling from community and Elders dear to her. She continues to acknowledge her teachings by incorporating her own interpretations that speak through different forms of her creative practices. Clarke’s skills and

In this session of ACCA's Book Club, author and activist Tony Birch and Max Delany discuss two of Birch's essays about site-specific writing, one written in reflection of a residency in Banff, Canada to research climate change and Indigenous knowledge, and the second considering the ecological pertinence of the walking/reflective/philosophical essay model. For more information, and links to read the essays available here: https://acca.melbourne/program/acca-book-club-tony-birch/

Defining Moments: 'The Aboriginal Memorial' at the 1988 Biennale of Sydney with Djon Mundine, OAM. ABOUT THE LECTURE: Djon Mundine OAM reflects on his personal account of the initial development of the idea of 'The Aboriginal Memorial' from a series of projects which involved all sections of the local art community, to the genesis of an idea for a memorial, through to the process of its realisation into the form it took at the '7th Biennale of Sydney' in 1988, and its subsequent permanent installation in the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Djon Mundine OAM is a member of the Bandjalung people of northern New South Wales, and is an independent curator, activist and writer. His career has helped revolutionise the criticism and display of contemporary Aboriginal art, including through prominent curatorial positions held in many national and international institutions, including the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney and Queensland Art Gallery. Betw

This conversation between Peter Cripps and Channon Goodwin considers the contemporary relevance of ideas of 'recession art', and follows on from the the lecture by Cripps and response from Goodwin, addressing the 1985 exhibition 'Recession art and other strategies' 1985 at the IMA, curated by Cripps, and the 2019 publication 'Permanent Recession', edited by Goodwin. This conversation is part of ACCA's Lecture Series Defining Moments: Australian Exhibition Histories 1968–1999. Listen to the lecture by Peter Cripps, and response by Goodwin here: https://soundcloud.com/acca_melbourne/defining-moments-peter-cripps-on-recession-art-and-other-strategies Read more about the lecture series here: https://acca.melbourne/series/defining-moments ABOUT THE SPEAKERS: Peter Cripps is an artist and a former Director of the Institute of Modern Art (IMA), Brisbane (1984–86). As an artist has exhibited widely in Australia and internationally since the 1970s, with recent major individual survey exhibitions including Peter Cr

A lecture by artist Peter Cripps on the exhibition 'Recession art and other strategies' 1985 at the IMA Brisbane, followed by a response from Channon Goodwin. Part of ACCA's Lecture Series 'Defining Moments: Australian Exhibition Histories 1968–1999'. Listen to the follow up conversation between Peter Cripps and Channon Goodwin (Director of Bus Projects, founding Convener of the All Conference network) on the ACCA Podcast here: https://soundcloud.com/acca_melbourne/defining-moments-peter-cripps-channon-goodwin-permanent-recession-art-labour-circumstance Further information: acca.melbourne/series/defining-moments- popism/ ABOUT THE LECTURE: In response to the social, political and cultural contexts of the 1970s and 80s, Peter Cripps curated the exhibition Recession Art, at the Institute of Modern Art (IMA), Brisbane in 1987. According to Cripps, ‘Recession art refers to art which is made under the pressure of little money and an insignificant market. It tends to be small, easy to produce, store and dispose

In this session of ACCA Book Club, Quentin Sprague and John Kean discusses Sprague’s 2020 book, 'The Stranger Artist' (published by Hardie Grant). ACCA Book Club is our new monthly lunch-time catch up about reading, writing and more. Each month, we invite a special guest and previous contributor to ACCA publications, to lead an open and active discussion with participants about a written or spoken-word work of their choice online via Zoom to a small group. Further information including speaker bios available here: https://acca.melbourne/program/acca-book-club-quentin-sprague-and-john-kean/ Recorded on 24 June 2020

In this first recorded ACCA Book Club, Elvis Richardson and Melinda Rackham discuss their forthcoming publication 'CoUNTess: Spoiling Illusions since 2008', specifically '‘Chapter 3: My Brilliant Art School Career’ with participants on Zoom. ACCA Book Club is our new monthly lunch-time catch up about reading, writing and more. Each month, we invite a special guest and previous contributor to ACCA publications, to lead an open and active discussion with participants about a written or spoken-word work of their choice online via Zoom to a small group. Further information including speaker bios available here: https://acca.melbourne/program/acca-book-club-elvis-richardson-melinda-rackham/ More information about CoUNTess Report available here: https://countess.report/ Recorded on 10 June 2020

Popism, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1982 Lecture by Judy Annear The exhibition POPISM was held at the National Gallery of Victoria in 1982. At 24 years old, recent honours graduate and founder and editor of Art & Text magazine, Paul Taylor was invited to curate an exhibition of contemporary Australian art. The NGV was usually described as ‘the bunker’ with apparently little connection to the local art scene or experimental practice. POPISM came like a bolt from the blue, hard on the heels of the first five issues of Art &Text. This lecture will discuss the exhibition and the artists (Howard Arkley, David Chesworth, Ian Cox, Juan Davila, Richard Dunn, Paul Fletcher, Maria Kozic, Robert Rooney, Jane Stevenson, The Society for Other Photography, Imants Tillers, Peter Tyndall, Jenny Watson, and Tsk Tsk Tsk), provide some background and context to the ideas and practices, and the evolution of Taylor’s thinking and working. I will trace this through Taylor’s published writings, the various reactions

This Think Tank is the first in a series of public forums that will take place over the next twelve months that will both feed into and highlight the ideas and concerns of ACCA’s forthcoming 2021 research, publication and exhibition project, 'Who’s Afraid of Public Space?' This forum featured key thinkers in public culture, art and design to consider the impacts of the rapid turn to the digital, messaging around fear, accessibility, as well as other recent global discussions and debates around the contested nature of public space, and the shifting character of public culture. Speakers: Dr Marnie Badham; Eugenia Flynn; Dr Grace McQuilten; Professor Nikos Papastergiadis; Nur Shkembi and moderated by ACCA Artistic Director and CEO Max Delany. Recorded on 29 April 2020. Graphic recording and hero image by Sarah Firth. For more information visit: acca.melbourne/program/think-tank-whos-afraid-of-public-space/

What does it means to live, work and create in the pre-history of the future? This lively discussion about the role of new and emergent technologies in the visual arts and contemporary culture considers the developments in motion capture, mining virtual libraries of code, artificial intelligence, gaming and computer generated imagery and more. The Forum panel features Feedback Loops exhibiting artist Lu Yang (via a digital presence, with translation from Mandarin into English by Zheng Zhou); alongside with Professor Uwe Aickelin Head of School of Computing and Information Systems at University of Melbourne; Dr Claire Roberts, Associate Professor Art History at University of Melbourne; and electronic musician Becky ‘Sui Zhen’ Freeman. The panel is moderated by Rae Johnston, an esteemed and multi-award-winning STEM journalist, who is also Science and Technology Editor for NITV, and host of That Startup Show. Recorded at ACCA on 3 March 2020 More info: acca.melbourne/exhibition/feedback-loops/ This forum was

In advance of the live performance of 'Carrion: Episodes' at ACCA, as part of the exhibition, 'Feedback Loops' (7 December 2019 – 22 March 2020), artist Justin Shoulder spoke with Kate Ben-Tovim, Associate Director of Asia TOPA 2020. This rich and generous conversation unpacks a range of ideas in Shoulder’s performance practice, from birds to Body Weather, the underpinning influence of ecology, and considers Shoulder's experiences of working across the platforms of the night club, theatre and art gallery. Recorded at ACCA on Wednesday 19 February 2020 More info: https://acca.melbourne/exhibition/feedback-loops/ or http://phasmahammer.com Thank you to our partners: Asia Engagement Partner: PR Asia; Exhibition Partners: AsiaTOPA, Dulux, Monash University, Quest Southbank, Playking Foundation, Colour Factory; Media Partner: Triple R Image: Justin Shoulder, 'Carrion: Episodes' 2020 (performance still). Courtesy the artist and Invite Arts. Photography: Jacqui Shelton

In this conversation, recorded in association with ACCA’s exhibition 'Feedback Loops' (7 December 2019 – 22 March 2020), exhibiting artist Madison Bycroft speaks with the exhibition Curator, Miriam Kelly about the installation of new drawings, sculptural video installation and performance works in this exhibition. More info: acca.melbourne/exhibition/feedback-loops/ or https://maddog.hotglue.me Thank you to our partners: Asia Engagement Partner: PR Asia; Exhibition Partners: AsiaTOPA, Dulux, Monash University, Quest Southbank, Playking Foundation, Colour Factory; Media Partner: Triple R Image: Madison Bycroft, 'Antihero' 2019 (performance still). Courtesy the artist. Photography: Jacqui Shelton

This podcast is part of of ACCA Education's 2019 ACCADEMY Program. During the last ACCADEMY workshop for 2019, participating students reflected on ACCA's exhibition 'Haroon Mirza: The Construction of an Act' and co-developed an audible response to Mirza’s acoustic, visual and spatial poetry. ABOUT THE PROGRAM: ACCADEMY is an Education Program providing unique and dedicated opportunities for young people to develop new skills and engage with arts industry professionals, contribute to special projects and gain understanding of the arts industry. In a series of six workshops throughout 2019, ACCADEMY members worked with arts professionals on a variety of creative projects, including art making, writing, project planning and podcast production. FURTHER INFO: http://acca.melbourne/education/ https://acca.melbourne/exhibition/haroon-mirza