Presented by Blak Dot Gallery
2 December 2021 – 6 March 2022

A community response to the provocation ‘Who’s afraid of Public Space?‘ As Indigenous and othered members of marginalized groups, ‘Public Space’ is a place of danger. In response, we have been forced to reclaim and occupy small pockets, where we gather collectively for safety. Blak Dot Gallery and the grounds it occupies has become one such space over the years. Our outdoor gallery space invites Indigenous, Global First Nations, and POC communities to engage, respond and activate the space with temporary installations that demarcate an occupation, a stance of solidarity with Indigenous mob. It is often in the margins where innovation happens. We will activate our occupied public space by sitting together collectively to do workshops, build, weave, dance, perform, in honour of our understanding of Public Space being a space where we situate and enact the collective.

During the lockdowns, our community has become disconnected, through forced separation. For us, culture and artistic practice is a source of strength which has unfortunately been disrupted. ’Fringe Dwellers – Occupying and Reclaiming the Margins’ will enable our groups to gather and celebrate creativity and connection.

Over summer 2021-22, In addition to ‘Fringe Dwellers – Occupying/ Reclaiming the Margins’ Blak Dot Gallery will be presenting three major exhibitions in addition to our regular events. We celebrated our tenth birthday  ‘Deadly Decade’ in December 2021 and the annual Artists’ Market in March 2022.

Blak Dot Gallery is an exhibition and community space that exhibits and elevates the creativity of First Nations and POC creatives living on the lands of the Kulin Nation (Melbourne).

PROGRAMMING:

2021 – Deadly Decade

As we celebrate a deadly decade of Blak Dot and First Nations excellence we thank everyone who has put their heart and soul into this space. We will continue to practice self-determination, reciprocity, and respectful relationships with all community groups who walk through our doors. We will also continue to support vibrant contemporary First Peoples art and center our cultural and artistic leadership.

We look forward to discovering and sharing great art and artists with you for another decade as Blak Dot Gallery continues to showcase the outstanding talent of our First Nations artists.

Contributing artists include:

Kareen Adam, Lena Becerra, Léuli Eshrāghi, Katherine Gailer, Monique Gilpin, Sonja Hodge, Tamsen Hopkinson, Kait James, Lily Laita, Lian Low, Kirsten Lyttle, Tāne McRoberts, Annie Moore, TextaQueen, Roberta Rich, Gina Ropiha, Tama Shaman, Frances Tapueluelu, Amani Tia, Veisinia Tonga, Michael, Jalaru Torres, Peter Waples-Crowe and Lisa Waup.

2022 – CODE BLAK

Code Blak: code-switching in the intersection of culture, gender and sexuality. Art is a code and Blak absorbs all the colours. The show is an output of living a liminal resistance, where our bodies transform to the forces of collective and individual identities.

Contributing Artists include:

Pacifiquex Collective, Susan Maco Forrester, Tony Fretton, Sean Miles, Sione Monu, Tama Sharman and Peter Waples-Crowe.

Co-Curated by Peter Waples-Crowe and Tony K. Fretton

ACROSS OCEANS (across lands)

What threads us together?

Oceans

&

Love for our homelands

Our storytelling as women

Our connection

&

Pride

Of our bloodlines

Curated by: Maya Hodge.

This group exhibition is an exploration of women’s storytelling, culture, vibrations, weaving, family and ancestral ties, and the oceans and land which bridge our connection with one another.

Contributing artists:

Anne-Marie Te Whiu, Ariana Tikao, Lǐ Xīng Yǔ – Echo Li, Françoise Schneiders, Aqui Thami and Jenna Rain Warwick.

Proudly Supported by: Australian Government Indigenous Language and Arts, Creative Victoria & Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA)

Blak Dot Gallery is producing this project with support from the Australian Government Indigenous Language and Arts, Creative Victoria, Sydney Rd Music Festival, Moreland Council and the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art.

Blak Dot Gallery: Blak Dot Gallery is an exhibition and community space that exhibits and elevates the creativity of First Nations and POC creatives living on the lands of the Kulin Nation (Melbourne).

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Access:

Blak Dot Gallery is fully accessible by wheelchair. Point of entry via the front door (facing public area). There is an accessible toilet in the gallery and an accessible car park space available at rear of the gallery. Please contact Blak Dot Gallery if you have any further access queries at info@blakdot.com.au or 0474 328 370