Thirty contemporary Indigenous artists from across Australia have been selected to participate in ‘Defying Empire: 3rd National Indigenous Art Triennial’ at the National Gallery of Australia from 26 May to 10 September. Underlining the ongoing resistance, resilience and defiance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their right to equality, this major exhibition surveys unique practices and also marks the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum granting Indigenous peoples the right to be counted as Australian for the first time. The exhibition coincides with NAIDOC Week 2 to 9 July that celebrates Aboriginal culture, this year’s theme of ‘Our Languages Matter’ emphasises the unique and essential role that Indigenous languages play in cultural identity.
Brenda L. Croft, shut/mouth/scream (detail), 2016. Courtesy of the artist, Stills Gallery, Sydney and National Gallery of Australia, Australian Capital Territory
