Nirin: The 22nd Biennale of Sydney – Five Challenging Artworks

By Haema Sivanesan, AGGV Curator

I was “back home” in Sydney in early March, just before the COVID-19 pandemic was announced, and was gratified -– more than 30 years later — to be attending the opening of the 22nd Biennale of Sydney, titled Nirin. For the first time in its history, the Biennale was being curated by an Aboriginal artist, Brook Andrew, a Wiradjuri man, whose ancestral lands are in central New South Wales.

Beautiful Trouble: A Conversation Between Friends on Activism, Art and Buddhism

For the Closing Orion Keynote Conversation, we were given privy to an ongoing conversation between longtime friends – artist Suzanne Lacy and activist Jodie Evans. As they hashed out their differences in approach and opinion, lavished each other with praise and admiration, and critiqued their own areas of professional expertise, the engaged audience remained enthralled by two inspirational women, both practising Buddhists and both passionate about their work.

Listener in Residence

By Regan Shrumm, AGGV Assistant Curator

Listener-in-Residence is a collaborative project between the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and the Luther Court Society, a non-profit society that cares for 120 seniors through subsidized independent suites, home support, assisted living, and long-term care. It is a four-month artist residency featuring emerging Victoria-based artist Libby Oliver.