Everywhen, Everywhere: The Eternal Present in Indigenous Art from Australia surveys contemporary Indigenous art from Australia, exploring the ways in which time is embedded within Indigenous artistic, social, historical, and philosophical life. As seminal Australian anthropologist and essayist WEH Stanner posited, the ‘Everywhen’ — where knowledge and history from all times combine to inform contemporary and future existence. Major works from the Gallery’s collection of Indigenous Australian art from the turn of the nineteenth century to the present provide visitors with a grounding in the history, ideas and art of our first peoples and cultures.
This collection display, dedicated to Indigenous Australian art, explores ideas underpinning the Dreaming — or as seminal Australian anthropologist and essayist WEH Stanner posited, the ‘Everywhen’ — where knowledge and history from all times combine to inform contemporary and future existence. Major works from the Gallery’s collection of Indigenous Australian art from the turn of the nineteenth century to the present provide visitors with a grounding in the history, ideas and art of our first peoples and cultures.
Everywhen, Everywhere is a breathtaking exhibition, on permanent display at the Queensland Art Gallery. This collection display, dedicated to Indigenous Australian art, explores ideas underpinning the Dreaming. For Indigenous people, the past is understood to be part of a cyclical and circular order known as the ‘everywhen’; conceptions of time rely on active encounters with both the ancestral and natural worlds. While the exhibition focuses on the last 40 years of Indigenous art, it also includes historical objects from the rich collections of Harvard University’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology to underscore both the continuity of cultural practice and remarkable adaptive innovations.
The exhibition showcases more than 70 works drawn from public and private collections in Australia and the United States, and features many works that have never been seen outside Australia. Works by some of the most significant contemporary Indigenous artists will be on view, including Rover Thomas and Emily Kam Kngwarray (both former representatives at the Venice Biennale); Judy Watson, recipient of the 2006 Clemenger Contemporary Art Award; Doreen Reid Nakamarra, who participated in Documenta (13); Vernon Ah Kee, who has also exhibited at the Venice Biennale, and most recently, the Istanbul Biennial; and the visual and performance artist Christian Thompson, who was recently mentored by Marina Abramović in Australia.
This exhibition presents an opportunity to introduce audiences to the central role that Indigenous art plays in the global narrative of contemporary art. Technical examination of traditional Indigenous bark paintings as part of the exhibition. Understanding the materials used by the artists will provide enormous insights into the long-standing practices and traditions of Indigenous painting.
Queensland Art Gallery
The Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) is an art museum located in the South Bank precinct of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The gallery is part of the Queensland Cultural Centre. It complements the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) building, situated only 150 metres (490 ft) away.
Queensland Art Gallery was established in 1895 and moved to its current residence at South Bank in 1982. It was joined by the Gallery of Modern Art in 2006 and the galleries now house a globally significant collection of contemporary art from Australia, Asia and the Pacific.
The experience of a visit starts when the striking architecture of our riverside galleries comes into view. Glimpses of Brisbane continue to anchor you to our subtropical city from inside each gallery, while ever-changing exhibitions, programs and events broaden your horizons.
Queensland Art Gallery is also home to a Children’s Art Centre that presents interactive artworks for kids and families, a cinema that celebrates film from around the world, plus gallery shops with art, books and cultural curios to take home. Every visit is a conversation starter, and our outdoor cafes and award-winning restaurant offer places for stimulating discussion.