Art in Conflict is a new touring exhibition of contemporary art from the collection of the Australian War Memorial.
The Noosa Regional Gallery will be the second last destination for the national tour that began in 2022.
The exhibition says curator Dr Anthea Gunn, “reveals neglected histories, untold stories, and deepens our understanding of Australia’s experience of conflict, both past and present.”
Michael Brennan gallery director said, “Like many of the exhibitions we share at Noosa Regional Gallery, Art In Conflict showcases the diverse responses of contemporary artists to difficult topics, in this case, the untold stories of our Country’s involvement in conflict.”
Three major new bodies of work debut in this exhibition: two recent official war art commissions – Susan Norrie (Iraq, 2016) and Megan Cope (Middle East, 2017) – and a landmark commemorative work by Angelica Mesiti.
“I’m really honoured to have my work at the Memorial” says artist Megan Cope; “It certainly is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience. I never would have expected it, to be honest, so I hope that people like the work, and ask lots of questions, and think about our relationship with the Middle East.”
Art In Conflict includes more than seventy paintings, drawings, films, prints, photography, and sculpture. Leading Australian artists are represented, such as Khadim Ali, Rushdi Anwar, eX de Medici, Denise Green, Richard Lewer, Mike Parr, and Ben Quilty.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, a collection priority for the Memorial in recent years, is featured, with works by Tony Albert, Paddy Bedford, Robert Campbell Jr, Michael Cook, Shirley Macnamara, and Betty Muffler.
Supported by research from an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project, Art In Conflict invites us to consider perspectives we might not otherwise encounter.
ART IN CONFLICT will run from 20 April to 9 June 2024. Entry to the exhibition is free. Visit noosaregionalgallery.com.au
Join us for the official opening event at the Gallery on Saturday 20 April from 3 – 5pm. A floor talk with Curator Dr Anthea Gunn commences earlier at 2pm. Free tickets are available via the Gallery website.
