Trancendence

Curated by Nanette Orly

Opening 07.02.18 6-8pm
Artist Talks 1.03.18 6-7pm

Talia Smith
Roberta Rich
Get to Work (performance on opening night, 7pm)
Nathan Beard
Dana Davenport

The premise of a blurred cultural identity resonates with many mixed heritage individuals living in countries or regions that have shared histories. Interracial relationships were particularly topical at the beginning of the twentieth century with some of that stigma still lingering in society today. In the past, it wasn’t uncommon for mixed-race children to have been categorised as monoracial, which is limiting to identity development. The formation of cultural identity, as a mixed race person, is continuously shaped by social interactions and environmental factors. This process can span across a lifetime due to shifting internal and external forces such as family structure, physical appearance, geographic location and cultural knowledge. A biracial or multiracial individual may go through stages of racial ignorance and ambivalence before moving towards appreciation. In this final stage of transcendence there is an apparent shift towards emotional reconciliation and solidification of cultural identity, that can be both public and private. Once chosen, this unique identity then becomes cherished.

‘Transcendence’ considers how artists of mixed backgrounds utilise their practices to negotiate and deconstruct their own identities: if they identify more firmly with one particular culture, the perception of being in two places at once, or combining their own cultural histories to construct their own unique self identity. This exhibition brings together the work of local and international artists who reference their mixed heritage in a variety of mediums ranging from installation, video works, sculptural pieces and performance. Each contribution draws from personal experience and offers some insight on how to navigate through a medley of cultural backgrounds.