Canberra Art Biennial takes over the Vault with a huge exhibition.
This year the Canberra Art Biennial is proud to present the Queer Pavilion, an inclusive festival hub at The Vault curated by Christian Sirois, 17th October- 31st October. The Queer Pavilion will house; the Cruel Optimism exhibition, as well as a program of workshops and symposiums by and for the Queer community and allies.
Cruel Optimism delves into the liminality of Queer realities, exploring themes of world-building, community construction, cryptic geographies, and the documentation of individual and collective histories. Drawing on Lauren Berlant’s concept of Cruel Optimism (2011), this exhibition investigates what knowledge can be produced through Queer-to-Queer dialogue and relational exchanges. It questions whether acceptance is a sufficient response to oppression or if more profound actions are needed to address systemic inequalities.
Cruel Optimism Exhibition 17th Oct - 31st Oct 11AM - 4PM.
Artists: Tony Albert | Nathan Beard | Rat Bedlington | Gemma Brown | Jenna Lee | Hamish Wiseman | Isaac Kairouz | Shahmen Suku
Experience the gallery in a self-guided manner or opt for a deeper exploration through events and artists talks. Opening hours: 11am - 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday
Exhibition Opening, 17 October 6pm - 8pm
Curated experiences:
19th Oct 1PM - 2PM:
Artist Talk: Join a handful of artists from the Cruel Optimism exhibition to discuss the motivation and thinking behind their artworks within they exhibition, their Queer journeys, and much more through a tour of the show.
Tickets here.
19th of Oct 3PM - 4PM:
Queer Curators Symposium: Featuring renowned curators (line up to be announced). Join us for a robust discussion on community, memory, and authority, as we unpack what it means to represent oneself and communities through curatorial practice within galleries, archives, and museums.
Tickets here
26th Oct 1PM - 3PM
Gay Clay: ceramics workshop by artist Annie Parnell - An inclusive and non judgmental pottery workshop for people of all ages and levels of artistic backgrounds (no prior experience is required).
Tickets here.
31st Oct 5:30pm - 7pm
Creative Canberra 2024: Cities Need Artists Need Cities
Cities Need Artists Need Cities is an 'in conversation' on the practical challenges of Canberra as a site for a practising artists.
Tickets here.
Exhibited artists:
Tony Albert | Nathan Beard | Rat Bedlington | Gemma Brown | Jenna Lee | Hamish Wiseman | Isaac Kairouz | Shamen Suku
Curated by: Christian Sirois
Content Warning: Nudity and Mature Themes
This program is proudly sponsored by: the Canberra Art Biennial, the Australian Government, Creative Australia, and UNSW Galleries.