AN ACCOMPLISHED Aboriginal artist, arts writer and arts worker hopes to visit Monaco next month to review a prestigious exhibition of Far North Queensland Indigenous artwork, and is calling for community support to get there.
Jack Wilkie-Jans from Cairns hopes to attend the Australia: Defending the Oceans at the Heart of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander exhibit at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco on March 24 this year.
Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch said: “This exhibition is one of the biggest overseas showcases of contemporary Indigenous Australian art – and one of the first to be funded through the Federal Government’s new $12-million Catalyst fund.
“Over the six months that the exhibition will be held, the work of more than 50 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists will be seen by around 500,000 European visitors.
“Jack plans to write an extensive review of the exhibition that will be published by an arts-related publication and blog about the artists and artworks. He’ll also be filing reports on Bumma Bippera Media 98.7 FM before, during and after the trip to give us all a glimpse of how this exhibition is being received by the European arts community,” said Mr Entsch.
Jack said: “As an emerging artist and as a writer on the arts, I would love the opportunity to go over to see this exhibition to celebrate my people’s cultures at such a pivotal event.
“I want to be able to bring back to Australian audiences, and in particular the Indigenous community, a great interpretation and reflection of probably one of the best things to happen for the Queensland arts industry.
“Essentially, I want to give everybody at home the chance to see the exhibition and the works in an educational and engaging way.”
Make a donation to Jack at www.gofundme.com/xxr9tj2k, or follow his blog at http://jackandrewwilkie-jans.blogspot.com.au
