Yorta Yorta/Baraparapa artist Dr Jenny Murray-Jones will share conversation and open her exhibition — For Our Elders: Beyond the Voids in Colonial History — as part of NAIDOC Week celebrations in Winchelsea.
The free Surf Coast Shire Council event will be held at Winchelsea Shire Hall on Thursday 6 July from 6pm to 8pm. Joined by Council’s Arts Development Officer Harriet Gaffney, Jenny will delve into her PhD work, exploring the hidden histories of place and the impact of successive government policies on her family.
Deputy Mayor Cr Mike Bodsworth was looking forward to viewing all of the works in For Our Elders: Beyond the Voids in Colonial History.
“I’ve seen a few pieces that will be displayed in the exhibition. For me, the details in Jenny’s paintings evoke such a powerful, emotional response,” he said. “I’m excited to see more and to learn from Jenny. I’m sure it will be a special event, so I encourage interested community members to book their spot.”
The conversation will be followed by an opportunity to meet the visual artist and view the works, and a light supper.
The exhibition will continue from Friday 7 July to Tuesday 11 July, between 10am and 4pm. Jenny will be in-residence at the hall on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so visitors can discuss the works with her. People can also download a copy of Jenny’s thesis which extends ‘understandings of the nature and make-up of contemporary Indigenous families, and the ways in which oral history and art become a crucial means of reclaiming identity’.
“This year’s NAIDOC Week theme is For Our Elders, which ties in beautifully with Jenny’s work as it researched oral accounts of Elders who hold knowledge of the past,” Cr Bodsworth said.
“Council is proud that this exhibition supports our Statement of Commitment to Reconciliation, and the need for truth-telling as Victoria moves towards Treaty.”
The 6 July NAIDOC Week exhibition opening event will begin with a Welcome to Country by Eastern Maar Traditional Owners. Bookings are essential, via surfcoast.vic.gov.au/NAIDOC.
NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia annually in the first week of July, to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
