Just Not Australian presents work by 19 Australian artists at the forefront of national debate and practice. Spanning generations and diverse cultural backgrounds, the artists deal broadly with the origins and implications of contemporary Australian nationhood.
The exhibition engages with the moral and ethical undertones of the loaded phrase ‘un- Australian’. Far from a simple comparison, a consideration of what’s not Australian ultimately leads to questions of what is. Just Not Australian reflects a multifarious nation divided across many issues, from immigration and border protection to land rights and Indigenous sovereignty, racism and xenophobia to resource exploitation and climate change.
Curated by Artspace and developed in partnership with Sydney Festival and Museums and Galleries of NSW. The exhibition is touring nationally with Museums & Galleries of NSW. The exhibition has been assisted with funding through the Australia Council for the Arts.
Images: Liam Benson, 'Participatory Community Embroidery, You and Me', 2013–17, glass, sequins, cotton, organza, 148 x 170 cm.
Hoda Afshar, Dog’s Breakfast, 2011. Courtesy the artist.