2024 GAMAA trophies by artist Monique Burkhead. Photograph by Katie Bennett.

Projects

Organisations with Paid Staff

Winner

Lizzie Riek accepting the award for Griffith University Art Museum. Photograph by Katie Bennett.

Griffith University Art Museum

Taring Padi: Tanah Tumpah Darah

This collaborative project between one of Australia’s most important Aboriginal art collectives proppaNOW, and the globally significant Indonesia artsworkers collective Taring Padi, resulted in the creation of a large-scale banner titled Ngaliya Budjong Djarra (Our Mother Earth) 2023-24, which was displayed at Griffith University Art Museum. The project included a month-long shared studio residency at the Paint Factory, Yeronga, and culminated in a survey exhibition of Taring Padi’s almost three-decade-long history titled Tanah Tumpah Darah which showcased over 120 artworks. This impactful exhibition addressed contemporary issues of displacement, environmental devastation, food shortages, and unemployment, and encouraged equality for all.

The project, which dovetailed politics, arts and activism, showcased the remarkable talents and creativity of the participating artists. It also provided valuable training opportunities for GUAM staff, interns, and volunteers, as well as offering paid student placements for Griffith University students. In addition, the project facilitated important community engagement, particularly for local First Nations and artistic communities.

Highly Commended

M&G QLD Chairperson, Karina Devine, presenting Jane Willcock with The University of Queensland Anthropology Museum’s Highly Commended presentation. Photograph by Katie Bennett.

University of Queensland Anthropology Museum

Kirrenderri, Heart of the Channel Country Touring Exhibition

Curated by the UQ Anthropology Museum curator Mandana Mapar, and Mithaka curators Tracey Hough and Shawnee Gorringe, this touring initiative presented a visually striking and narrative-rich exhibition chronicling extraordinary stories from one of the most remote locations at the very heart of Australia.

In June 2019, the Mithaka people of Southwestern Queensland met with collaborators in Toowoomba to create a substantial cultural mapping project. At this meeting, distinguished researchers from the Australian National University, The University of Queensland, the Alice Duncan-Kemp family and UQ Anthropology Museum, discussed how best to conserve this unique environmental and cultural heritage. Together, their work formed the foundation of Kirrenderri, a timely exhibition that illustrates the cultural and aesthetic riches of the Mithaka region of Channel Country, and underscores the historic milestones and the resilience of relationships forged between Aboriginal and pioneering families in the region, from the late 1890s to the present.

From 2023–2024, the exhibition was displayed in four regional and remote Queensland centres and engaged more than 35,000 visitors. The exhibition’s curriculum-aligned Education Resource received accolades from the Queensland History Teachers Association for its educational merit, and Daniel Greene, Assistant Director of Education at AIATSIS said it was an ‘exemplar of quality place-based learning grounded on Country’.

Finalists

Colleen Hurley, Rebecca McDuff and Angelina Hurley accepting the Finalist presentation for Bundaberg Regional Galleries. Photograph by Katie Bennett.

Bundaberg Regional Galleries

Wajgan’s Return: Brining Ron Hurley Home

This multi-faceted project, initiated in partnership with the Hurley family and delivered by Bundaberg Regional Galleries, has not only brought to light the extraordinary talent of the late Ron Hurley but has also served as a testament to the rich cultural tapestry of the region’s First Nations community.

An initiative of Bundaberg Regional Galleries, the exhibition, Wajgan’s Return, was developed in partnership with the Hurley family to celebrate Ron Hurley, a pioneering Gooreng Gooreng / Mununjali artist.

Curated by Angelina Hurley, daughter of the late artist, this exhibition stands as a profound tribute to Ron Hurley’s life and work. It showcases four decades of his career, incorporating various mediums such as paintings, etchings, prints, ceramics, and more, all of which symbolise the totems and stories of the Gooreng Gooreng People.

Moreover, the project encompassed extensive public programming, coinciding with the wider Milbi Festival, to foster greater connection and engagement with Hurley’s artistic practice. This inclusive approach, inviting artists like Ivy Minniecon and Gordon Hookey to respond to Hurley’s work, has forged meaningful connections with Bundaberg Regional Galleries’ audiences and within the broader community.

The exhibition featured 68 artworks that recognised and respected the ancestors and the First Peoples of the region, highlighting Hurley’s diverse use of various mediums in his artistic practice. Notably, the project culminated in the acquisition of nine key artworks from the Hurley private collection for the Bundaberg Regional Galleries Collection and the addition of a gold Wagjan to the Gallery’s exterior signage.

Ellia Shurte accepting the Finalist presentation for Ipswich Art Gallery. Photograph by Katie Bennett.

Ipswich Art Gallery

Junior Curators: Mysterious Realms

Mysterious Realms, an exhibition curated entirely by young minds, drew on the Ipswich Art Gallery Collection to create a new and vibrant reimagining of how art can impact community.

Through the Junior Curators program, the Ipswich Art Gallery offered a unique 6-month behindthe- scenes exhibition development opportunity for 8–14-year-olds, which was successfully overseen by Gallery staff and external Australian museum professionals. This initiative empowered local young people and provided them with the opportunity to plan, design, and curate an exhibition entirely from the Gallery’s rich collection.

The novel approach of the Junior Curators, showcasing fresh perspectives, has led to the creation of an exhibition that speaks to the depths of their inner worlds, portraying imaginative storytelling realms through various artistic forms. Furthermore, the deliberate inclusion of young voices in the exhibition design process has not only fostered a greater sense of connection to the Gallery, its collection, and programming but it has also served as an inspiring example for other young visitors. The project’s impact has extended beyond the exhibition itself, as evidenced by increased audience interest, outreach from local schools, and interest from peer organisations seeking to initiate similar youth-focused programming.

Review Site
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