Sometimes in life, the proverbial grapevine alerts us to things we wouldn’t have otherwise known about, and connects us to people and events that end up proving intriguing and thought-provoking. This is precisely what happened when be:longing came to know about an exhibition currently on at the Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG), entitled Settled / Unsettled. We were immediately interested and wanted to know more. On a cool weekday afternoon in early May, be:longing made its way to the CMAG to check out the exhibition and delve into its works and themes.
Entrance to the exhibition, featuring the artwork “Tamil” by Kathrin Longhurst, 2019
Running from 4 March to 25 June 2023, Settled / Unsettled features the works of 17 artists whose works explore themes of migration, global mobility, the plight of refugees and Australia’s relationship to immigration since its colonisation in the late 18th century.
Initiated by artist Kathrin Longhurst, Settled / Unsettled features a wide range of artistic media, from painting and photography to video, sculpture and textile art. In its themes, the collection aims to draw a connection between its various artworks based on the notion that all the included artists have experienced feelings of being unsettled or settled at some point in their lives, whether as a result of war, poverty, migration, persecution, or sometimes just plain curiosity.
“Black Boy Fly” by Musonga Mbogo, 2000
Reading through the artists’ booklet, some of the stories start to sound familiar to people who have any experience with migration or interculturality: overcoming emotional distress, searching for a better life, graciousness for the opportunities that open up in a new land, a feeling of belonging, a feeling of not belonging…
“Behrouz Boochani, Portrait 1″ and “Behrouz Boochani, Portrait 2” by Angus McDonald, 2020
However, in moving through the exhibition space itself, what struck us as most intriguing about the collection of artworks was how vastly different all of them were. Beyond differences in the artistic media used by each artist, we noticed that none of the works bore resemblance to the others. From brightly glazed clay to delicate gouache paintings; from moody black and white photography to intricate textile pieces, Settled / Unsettled can be viewed as an analogy for how we all have differences but are ultimately tied together by art and storytelling. One might even go so far as to say that the exhibition is a manifestation of the concept of ‘art as art’.
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas (Island or PNG or Nauru)” by Penny Byrne, 2010
Art critics and others who analyse art often use a number of terms to make meaning out of the pieces they are analysing: texture, composition, balance, space, movement, colour – the list goes on. Whilst art terms could be applied to each individual work in the exhibition, they could also be applied to the exhibition as a whole. Viewers are invited to indulge in a number of textures expressed through the sheer variety of materials used. Colour, for example, was on show in dozens of shades and tones. As we wandered through the exhibition space, we took in contrasting imagery and concepts; we were challenged, as viewers, to weigh up and balance the pieces in our own minds.
“When I walk, they walk” by Mewish Iqbal, 2017
While the themes teased out by the artworks have been explored in many ways by other artists across the world and over time, the exhibition still managed to evoke a sense of originality. Importantly, it encouraged a sense of continued focus on these themes. It highlighted for visitors that these themes – migration, refugee rights, the difficulty of moving to a new land and seeking connection and belonging – are indeed still important, and they merit continuous discourse and attention. We walked away from it feeling encouraged and somewhat awoken, neither settled nor unsettled.
“Near to the sound of our heart, beating waves into the ocean” by Emma Rani Hodges, 2021
And so, here is our contribution to the grapevine. If you’re in Canberra, why not check Settled / Unsettled out? Like us, you might find a sense of affinity with the pieces, and with the stories and motivations of the artists whose works fill up the space.
Settled / Unsettled is on at the CMAG until 24 June 2023. For more information about the exhibition, including a list of the artists whose work is featured, see the CMAG website.
© Dunja Kaczmarek and Marissa Rodriguez Schimizzi, be:longing, 2023
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