Our first exhibition has launched!  As a team we were delighted to see our efforts in rehanging the Robert Oatley Gallery of the NPG open on 15th November 2018. The show turns the usual story of European settlement to Australasia on its head, emphasizing Indigenous leadership, over solitary European genius, in most of the supposedly well-known events of European incursion 1760s-1840s. It acts as a kind of a taster to our larger exhibition, following similar themes, in late 2020 (which will focus on Australian/US comparison, with a separate gallery on Pacific encounters). This current rehang was mainly curated by Jo Gilmour, with research assistance and some invaluable writings provided by our wonderful Indigenous associates, Shannon Brett and Jodie Dowd. Kate Fullagar and Jo Gilmour wrote most of the accompanying catalogue booklet with contributions also from David Hansen.

The Gallery was launched with a public lecture by Associate Professor Alice Te Punga Somerville, with a paper entitled “Te Rangihiroa, Oodgeroo, Te Hurinui, Hamuera and me: Indigenous biographies without borders.” It was followed by a tour of the gallery, and a reception with some impromptu singing!

Get along to see this little gem of a show until mid-April 2019.