By Laura Gamio -
‘Entropy/ Awakening’, is a multimedia exhibition curated by Dr. Marie Hadley, a Law Lecturer and early career researcher at The University of Newcastle in the Centre for Law and Social Justice.
Hadley commissioned an artistic interpretation of her paper “Ideological Vandalism of Public Statues: Copyright, The Moral Right of Integrity and Racial Justice”. Hadley’s research originates from the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020; the need to justify the freedom of expression, as opposed to how the law deems murals, graffiti and public art as a criminal infringement.
Graffiti and public art interventions are a visual game changer. They alter the original state of the environment and create a new narrative.
In the past decades many historic social justice movements were led by a visual intervention, such as the intervention first started by Thierry Noir in 1984, as a protest to the Berlin Wall in Germany, the Brigada Ramona Parra interventions throughout Chile during the Pinochet military dictatorship and the Mexican movement led by Siqueiros, Orozco and Rivera.
Marie commissioned the artistic response to artist Travis De Vries (a Gamilaroi and Dharug man), to create an immersive experience. Part of the multimedia experience includes a video blog recorded as he creates, then discussed with others in an ongoing conversation.
De Vries is the creator of the first Aboriginal NFT and has a vast creative practice ranging from a Create NSW 2018 Aboriginal Arts Fellow, and as Artist in Residence at Lane Cove Gallery.
As well as producer/host of Broriginals, and Founder/ Director of Awesome Black, De Vries has also performed with Bangarra Theatre. His visual practice comes from Gamilaroi lore, and the creation of an alternative universe where characters exist in a new universe.
He feels his practice is the dreaming for the future generations, and the use of the ‘futurist’ imagery allows to show people that represent anyone that identifies with them. This allows him to retell future stories.
De Vries blends folklore imagery with futurism to create a new lore of fables and alternative universes. He feels in his practice that he can show things he is not prepared to say, as the world is not ready to hear them. Instead, he leaves them open for interpretation.
The main piece in the exhibition is the image of a person with the balance and the scale, an image where the faces disappear as time goes by, following the passing of the moon cycles.
All the pieces on display question systemic racism and colonialism, a dialogue of ‘damaging’ public statues as a form of protest. The exhibition was made possible under the guidance of digital artist Rewa Wright (Ngāi Tawake/Te Kaimaroke/Te Uri o Hau hapu of Aotearoa) and a live opening performance by Adam Manning (Gamilaroi), providing his “sonic responses” to the research.
This free event will open on 5 October, at 6PM, at 107 Project Gallery, 107 Redfern Street, Redfern NSW. You can register for tickets here.
