The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner is proud to support Blak In-Justice: Incarceration and Resilience, opening this weekend at Heide Museum of Modern Art.
This groundbreaking exhibition, guest curated by Kent Morris, Creative Director at The Torch, calls attention to the pressing issue of Indigenous incarceration in Australia and the unacceptable crisis of deaths in custody.
Blak In-Justice: Incarceration and Resilience features works by leading First Nations artists such as Vernon Ah Kee, Gordon Bennett, Tony Albert, Destiny Deacon and Judy Watson. Shown alongside these are artworks by former and current prison inmates such as Jimmy Pike and Kevin Gilbert, and many who have connected with their culture and Country through The Torch program – including Thelma Beeton, Stacey Edwards, Robby Wirramanda and Sean Miller.
The Torch has been working since 2011 to provide pathways out of the justice system, through cultural and artistic practice. Recidivism rates have more than halved for those connected to the program.
Blak In-Justice: Incarceration and Resilience opens Saturday 5 April and runs until Sunday 20 July.
Find out more about Blak In-Justice: Incarceration and Resilience: heide.com.au/exhibitions/blak-in-justice/
Visit The Torch website to learn more about their work and how you can support First Nations artists: thetorch.org.au
Quote attributable to Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner CEO, Fiona McLeay
“We supported this unprecedented exhibition because we saw it as a unique and much needed platform to raise awareness of the systemic nature of the ongoing injustices experienced through the legal system by First Nations peoples.
“We also know that The Torch’s work to directly support the livelihood of First Nations artists continues to be a vital part of the path out of the justice system for the people they work with.”
Quote attributable to Kent Morris, Curator and Creative Director of The Torch
“A First Nations-developed and led project, the exhibition not only raises awareness of the mass incarceration of First Nations people but shines a light on what is being achieved to break the cycle of Indigenous imprisonment. The idea to present this exhibition in partnership with a major public museum has been formulating for many years and I greatly appreciate the support and enthusiasm from the Heide team for the project.
“By sharing the stories of those who have experienced incarceration and how connection to art and culture has provided trailblazing pathways to healing and self-determination, we hope that visitors to the exhibition become a part of the solution to this ongoing issue.”
About The Torch
The Torch is a not for profit First Nations-led arts organisation that provides art, cultural and arts industry support to First Nations people who are currently incarcerated or have recently been released from prisons in Victoria. Since 2011, The Torch has continued to address the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within Victoria’s legal system through its Statewide Indigenous Arts In Prisons and Community Program.
The Torch’s vision is to support First Nations people to reclaim cultural connections through art and cultural practice. This enables personal and community healing and empowerment coupled with economic elevation through connection to the arts industry. Recidivism rates have more than halved for those connected to the program.
The Torch assists artists to reconnect with culture and to earn an income from art sales (with 100% of the artwork price going directly to the artist), licensing, special projects and exhibitions including their major annual exhibitions, Confined and Future Dreaming. The Torch’s gallery in Carlton is open for artwork viewings Tuesday to Thursday by appointment.
Discover more at: thetorch.org.au
About Heide Museum of Modern Art
Heide is a public art museum and sculpture park located on a stretch of the Birrarung/Yarra River in Melbourne that has long served as a meeting point and as a creative hub.
Once a significant Wurundjeri gathering place, the site later attracted the artists of the Australian Impressionist School before becoming the home of art patrons John and Sunday Reed in 1934.
The Reeds and their circle of artists and writers embraced the brave and the new in art and ideas and their spirited legacy inspires the museum’s activities today, from collaborating with emerging and mid-career artists to celebrating those who have made major contributions to Australian and international art.
Set on 6.5 hectares of parkland with five gallery spaces, award-winning architecture and a distinctive collection of more than 3,600 works of art, Heide holds a special place in the cultural landscape of Australia.
Find out more at: heide.com.au