Victorian Koorie artist Megan Cadd will hold an artist floor talk for her exhibition Mulana: Spirit, currently on display at Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum on Sunday 13 March 2011.
Mulana: Spirit features work by Megan Cadd, a Yorta-Yorta and Wotjabaluk woman, that illustrates her quest to reclaim her spirit and identity amidst the impacts of colonisation in her life. The exhibition features a series of works ranging from installations, sculpture, paintings and prints that revolve around key events in her life over the last few years.
Megan will deliver an artist floor talk at Bunjilaka to share her thoughts on the exhibition concept and the creative process behind it. “I am strong and stand proud in my Aboriginal identity”, says Megan. “I have spent my lifetime justifying and answering questions around my identity and the stereotypes of Aboriginality. In this exhibition I want to celebrate my identity and culture and challenge non-Indigenous audiences”.
Megan drew inspiration for her work from a range of sources: the loss of her Aboriginal grandmother, having contact with an emu feather skirt from the 1800s, her studies as a spiritual based counsellor, trips back to Yorta-Yorta country and her experiences working with the Melbourne Aboriginal community. Through these experiences Megan became aware of the impact of colonisation on her spirit and aimed to reclaim it through the artworks on display.
The artworks on display in Mulana: Spirit are based on a series of themes, including Megan’s Nan, an emu feather skirt, land and spirit, and identity. A highlight of the exhibition is the piece ‘Post-Colonisation Remedies’, which is a medicine cabinet filled with ‘quick fix’ remedies such as Koorie Health Powder and Anti-Racism Cream.
“Projected through this piece are my feelings of wishing the issues affecting Aboriginal people today could be resolved in a simple way”, says Megan. “How much I wish it would be as simple as going to a medicine cabinet to fix these problems for my people”.
Megan is a self taught artist who has exhibited work across Australia and is currently preparing for her first international group exhibition to be held in China. She was shortlisted for the Victorian Indigenous Art Awards in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and has collaborated on public installations and community art projects. Megan combines her lifelong art practice with raising a family, spiritual healing, community arts work and being an active part of her community.
Mulana: Spirit is presented as part of the Bunjilaka Community Exhibition Program, an annual program of changing exhibitions in Bunjilaka’s Birrarung Gallery celebrating the creativity of individual Koorie artists and communities from across Victoria. Mulana: Spirit is supported by the Indigenous Arts Grants program of the
City of Melbourne.
Megan Cadd Artist Floor Talk
3pm, Sunday 13 March 2011
Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre
Melbourne Museum, Nicholson Street Carlton
Mulana: Spirit on display until 3 April
Included with Museum entry (adults $8, children and concession FREE)
Melbourne Museum, Nicholson Street, Carlton. Open 10.00am to 5.00pm daily. Admission: $8 Adults, children and concession FREE. For further information, visit museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum or phone 13 11 02.