Occurrent Affair: symposium and workshop

Client: Museums and Galleries of New South Wales (MGNSW), National Art School (NAS) and the University of Queensland Art Museum
Artists: Richard Bell, Jennifer Herd, Laurie Nilsen, Megan Cope, Gordon Hookey, Vernon Ah Lee and Tony Albert
Date: 24 June 2023

In June 2023 at the National Art School, MGNSW and NAS Gallery hosted educators, programmers and curatorial staff as well as First Nations gallery collaborators and local Elders connected to the John Curtin Gallery (WA), Gosford Regional Gallery (NSW), Artspace Mackay (QLD) and University of the Sunshine Coast Gallery (QLD) for an education symposium.

The symposium included yarning circles, a ‘scrub club’ cleaning oyster shells for a Megan Cope artwork commission, as well as a workshop by FLENK Collective. Along with Merindah Funnell and Emily Lienert, FLENK collective’s workshop for symposium participants introduced the content in the Occurrent Affair exhibition kit. Participants learned about ways to actively Acknowledge Country and creative learning strategies based on artworks about resistance, protest and sovereignty.

A person holding an education resource booklet up and smiling.
A person holding an education resource booklet up and smiling.
Three people seated on chairs. The person in the middle is speaking and the other two listen closely
Three people seated on chairs. The person in the middle is speaking and the other two listen closely
A group of people sitting on the floor drawing their journeys using yarn.
A group of people sitting on the floor drawing their journeys using yarn.
A group of adults sitting outside engrossed in drawing.
A group of adults sitting outside engrossed in drawing.

Participants at the ‘Occurrent Affair’ symposium. Photos courtesy and © MGNSW and Jacquie Manning

A group of people sitting in a loose circle discussing paintings by Richard Bell.
A group of people sitting in a loose circle discussing paintings by Richard Bell.
A person gesturing as they speak.
A person gesturing as they speak.