A one-of-a-kind exhibition of Australian street art will open at The University of Queensland this weekend.
Space invaders: australian . street . stencils . posters . paste-ups . zines . stickers is a travelling exhibition from the National Gallery of Australia and runs from April 9 to June 5.
“Space invaders is the first exhibition from a major gallery to document and celebrate these emerging art forms, taking them off the walls of our cities and into gallery spaces," UQ Art Museum Director Campbell Gray said.
“The exhibition delves into the complex and challenging side of the contemporary Australian street-art scene showcasing more than 150 works on paper created by artists from across the country.”
Director of the National Gallery of Australia Ron Radford AM said the exhibition was unique and challenged misconceptions about the nature of street art and its place in mainstream galleries.
“We have been able to draw this exhibition exclusively from the national collection. We are the only major Australian gallery to collect and document this growing art form and have been doing so since 2003,” Mr Radford said.
Space invaders brings together works created by street artists whose practice has not only transformed their cityscapes but has breached the boundaries of major galleries.
“While the initial raid on Australian public space was instigated by graffiti writers and political activists, street artists have mounted a second wave of attack, successfully storming new territory,” exhibition curator Jaklyn Babington said.
The genesis of Australian street art can be traced to a small number of artists experimenting during the late 1970s. The movement today encompasses a wide range of art-making practices including stencils, hand painted posters, paste ups, stickers, street intervention pieces, and zines.
Space invaders celebrates the energy of these works and recognises them as a new and exciting chapter in the development of Australian prints and drawings.
The official opening will take place at the UQ Art Museum at 6pm on Friday, April 8, with the public welcome to attend an artist talk at 11am on Saturday, April 9 and a guided tour with the curator at 6pm on Wednesday, May 11. A full colour catalogue is available for purchase for $39.95.
This exhibition is part of the National Gallery of Australia’s extensive program of sharing its collection with the whole of Australia.
High-resolution images are available for download here.
Media: Cameron Pegg at UQ Communications (07 3365 2049, c.pegg@uq.edu.au) or Kirsten Downie (02 6240 6643, 0407 523 948) or Stephanie Dobos at the National Gallery of Australia (02 6240 6700, 0414 379 881)
Tour dates
• UQ Art Museum, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 9 April – 5 June 2011
• RMIT Gallery, RMIT University, Melbourne, Vic., 1 September – 5 November 2011
• Western Plains Cultural Centre, Dubbo, NSW, 18 November 2011 – 18 March 2012
This exhibition is supported by the Contemporary Touring Initiative through Visions of Australia, an Australian Government program, and the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian Government and state and territory governments. The Cultural Partner for Space invaders: australian . street . stencils . posters . paste-ups . zines . stickers is NewActon/Nishi and Molonglo Group. The exhibition is also supported by Special Media Partner Triple J.
