This exhibition comprises contemporary paintings and sculpture by Indigenous Australian artists from various regions across the Australian continent, from the central desert to coastal regions and islands. Centering on the theme of “country,” the artworks sing melodies of ancestors and land, creation and power, history and memory, community and identity. In caring for and painting their ancestral terrain and home places, Aboriginal artists acknowledge the countless memories already lived and those to come.
Songs of a Secret Country was curated by five students from universities across the United States. As part of the UVA Summer Curatorial Research Program, this project trains a new generation of curators to address the pressing lack of diversity in museum practice. The artworks represented are a recent gift to the Kluge-Ruhe Collection by philanthropists Stephen and Agatha Luczo of California.
Admission is $5 for non-members and free for museum members. It is family-friendly and no reservations are needed. For more information about the museum and this event, visit kluge-ruhe.org or call 434-244-0234.
Artwork: Bugai Whyoulter, Wantili, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 59 ¾” x 59 ¾” (c) the artist, courtesy Martumili Artists, Newman