Published Wednesday, 09 May, 2007 at 07:30 AM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
AUSTRALIAN ART TAKES ON MANHATTAN & THE STATES: PREMIER
NEW YORK: The vibrant art history of the Lockhart River community in Far North Queensland has enjoyed international exposure with today’s launch by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie of Our Way: Contemporary Art from Lockhart River.
Mr Beattie said the book was the first serious art historical study of the Lockhart River Art Gang.
The Premier launched the book while visiting Stony Brook University in Manhattan.
“Produced by The University of Queensland and authored by Curator and Lecturer in Art History Dr Sally Butler, the book draws together unique perspectives and history of the vibrant art movement of Lockhart River,” Mr Beattie said.
“It also complements a new Lockhart River art exhibition which opened in Brisbane this week, and will also be featured internationally.”
Mr Beattie said New Yorkers would have an opportunity to view more than 30 Lockhart River works at the fabulous Charles B Wang Centre of Stony Brook University during October and November.
"Stony Brook has offered to host the exhibition at its renowned Charles B Wang Centre at the university's Long Island campus," Mr Beattie said.
“It’s fantastic that we now have a book like this that collects the Lockhart River Art Gang’s achievements to date and puts them in context within Australian Indigenous art and art worldwide.
“The art of the Indigenous people is a window into a unique culture and I am delighted so many people around the world now have the opportunity to see it for themselves.”
Lockhart River is a community on Cape York Peninsula which is one of the world’s great Wilderness areas around 800 kilometres north of the nearest metropolitan city of Cairns.
“The Lockhart River Art Gang started as a group of Indigenous young people who, through an Education Queensland senior schooling initiative, took part in traditional and vocational education options including visual arts.
“These students seized the moment and came together to reshape their lives and the way they are represented outside of their community. They have now led a whole new wave of Indigenous contemporary art.”
Mr Beattie said both the book and exhibition were celebrations of how a diverse array of government, private and personal initiatives came together to produce something unique.
The project has been supported by the Queensland Government – through Arts Queensland, Department of Education, Training and the Arts (as part of the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy); and the Queensland Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency (QIAMEA) in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, along with the Australian Government.
QIAMEA promotes Queensland’s Indigenous arts industry through marketing and export activities throughout Australia and internationally.
To view some of the Lockhart River Art Gangs work visit www.artgang.com.au
Media Contacts: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
9 May 2007
Mr Beattie said the book was the first serious art historical study of the Lockhart River Art Gang.
The Premier launched the book while visiting Stony Brook University in Manhattan.
“Produced by The University of Queensland and authored by Curator and Lecturer in Art History Dr Sally Butler, the book draws together unique perspectives and history of the vibrant art movement of Lockhart River,” Mr Beattie said.
“It also complements a new Lockhart River art exhibition which opened in Brisbane this week, and will also be featured internationally.”
Mr Beattie said New Yorkers would have an opportunity to view more than 30 Lockhart River works at the fabulous Charles B Wang Centre of Stony Brook University during October and November.
"Stony Brook has offered to host the exhibition at its renowned Charles B Wang Centre at the university's Long Island campus," Mr Beattie said.
“It’s fantastic that we now have a book like this that collects the Lockhart River Art Gang’s achievements to date and puts them in context within Australian Indigenous art and art worldwide.
“The art of the Indigenous people is a window into a unique culture and I am delighted so many people around the world now have the opportunity to see it for themselves.”
Lockhart River is a community on Cape York Peninsula which is one of the world’s great Wilderness areas around 800 kilometres north of the nearest metropolitan city of Cairns.
“The Lockhart River Art Gang started as a group of Indigenous young people who, through an Education Queensland senior schooling initiative, took part in traditional and vocational education options including visual arts.
“These students seized the moment and came together to reshape their lives and the way they are represented outside of their community. They have now led a whole new wave of Indigenous contemporary art.”
Mr Beattie said both the book and exhibition were celebrations of how a diverse array of government, private and personal initiatives came together to produce something unique.
The project has been supported by the Queensland Government – through Arts Queensland, Department of Education, Training and the Arts (as part of the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy); and the Queensland Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency (QIAMEA) in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, along with the Australian Government.
QIAMEA promotes Queensland’s Indigenous arts industry through marketing and export activities throughout Australia and internationally.
To view some of the Lockhart River Art Gangs work visit www.artgang.com.au
Media Contacts: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
9 May 2007