For we are young and free

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For we are young and free
Toyota Community Spirit Gallery presents

for we are young and free
exploring the diversity of contemporary Australian life

                                           8 August to 26 October 2012
                                       Toyota Australia, 155 Bertie St, Port Melbourne, Victoria
                                       Gallery Hours Mon - Fri, 9am to 5pm or by appointment
                                       Inquiries Ken Wong 0419 570 846
For we are young and free
For we are young and free
Toyota
                     Community
                    Spirit Gallery
                            The Toyota Community Spirit
                         Gallery is an initiative of Toyota
                   Community Spirit, Toyota Australia’s
                          corporate citizenship program.
                     Toyota Community Spirit develops
                        partnerships that share Toyota’s
                   skills, networks, expertise and other
                          resources with the community.

                   The Toyota Community Spirit Gallery
                        aims to provide space for artists,
                    especially emerging artists to show
                       their work. The space is provided
                     free of charge to exhibiting artists.
                    No commission is charged on sales
                      and Toyota provides an exhibition
                       launch and develops a catalogue
                         for each exhibition. The gallery
                     has now shown works by over 800
                     artists. This project is mounted in
                    consultation with Hobsons Bay City
                     Council and the City of Port Phillip.

Football the Australian Way (detail) by Ryan Mullavey, acrylic on canvas 2012
For we are young and free
for we                                      judge

are
                                            Andy Dinan
                                            Director, MARS Gallery

young
and                                         Prizes awarded across all mediums for
                                            works which best interpret the theme of

free                                        contemporary australian life

                                            $3000 first prize award
exploring the                               $2000 second prize award
diversity of                                $1000 third prize award
contemporary
Australian life                             We would like to acknowledge the valuable
                                            feedback and support provided by the
                                            following arts community and organisations
                                            in the development of this project:

                                            Sue Roff, Arts Project Australia
                                            Fiona Cook, Arts Access Victoria
                                            Steph Tout, FIELD
                                            Bianca Rayner, City of Port Phillip
                                            Lee Agius, Amaroo Arts Program
                                            Larissa MacFarlane
                                            Kate Geck

                                                                 IMAGES
                                                                 FRONT COVER Welcome (detail) by
                                                                 Liezel van der Linde, mixed media 2012
                                                                 THIS SPREAD An Urban Industrial
                                                                 Playground III by Larissa MacFarlane,
                                                                 collagraph & stencil monoprint 2012

thanks to
Tania Blackwell, Hobsons Bay City Council
Louisa Scott, City of Port Phillip                                              The opinions and points
Toyota Community Spirit Gallery Committee                                       of view expressed by
Katarina Persic, Toyota Australia                                               participants through
                                                                                the artworks and
Steve Blakebrough                                                               artists statements in
catalogue editing                                                               this exhibition and
                                                                                catalogue are those of
Ken Wong (watcharts.com.au)                                                     the individual person
pre press & graphic design                                                      or persons and are
                                                                                not intended to reflect
Sandra Kiriacos (watcharts.com.au)                                              the position of Toyota
                                                                                Australia.
For we are young and free
ken wong
                                                                                              curator
This exhibition is the 29th in a                     Moreover, I am much more excited than
continuous program for the Toyota                    proud, of the thoughtful, courageous, sincere
Community Spirit Gallery since its                   and robustly optimistic voice that collectively
inception in 2004.                                   speaks through this exhibition to us all of the
                                                     nation and the people that we are, and have
The title of this exhibition is not intended as      the potential to become.
a statement but perhaps more as a question
to be posed about who and where we are as a          We are, even stretching back to the creation
nation, a people and a contemporary society.         stories of our original indigenous inhabitants,
                                                     a nation of immigrants. And the story of that
Advance Australia Fair was originally                immigration is and has always been complex
written in the late 1800’s by Peter Dodds            and at times extremely difficult. But for all
McCormick and performed by a choir of                that, here we are; a nation and a people who
10,000 at the Federation of Australia as a           has learned how to endure hardship and still
nation in 1901, before eventually becoming           find a place where the miracle of life can be
our official National Anthem in the 1970’s.          cherished and celebrated.
The lyric, “Australians all let us rejoice, for
we are young and free” was written in a              Perhaps in this great story of immigration,
different time; but how relevant is it to us as      it is this place, this timeless land in which
Australians of today?                                we all find ourselves, that is truly the main
                                                     character and guiding light. Perhaps from
One thing is certain; we are not one people,         it, if we are prepared to listen, we can all
but many. In fact, in order to truly explore         learn the humility of forbearance in times
the diversity of perspectives on contemporary        of difficulty, the joy of celebration and
Australian life, the call for submissions            thankfulness in times of plenty, and the
for this project specifically targeted artists       common sense to realize that it is only
whose voice is perhaps not always heard in           through the honest toil and hard work of
mainstream society. Over 50% of the artists          coming together with respect; to value, offer
participating in this exhibition identify as         and share the great gifts we all have as unique
someone living with physical, psychological          individuals, that we can reasonably expect
or intellectual disability or other social or        to survive and prosper towards our true and
cultural disadvantage.                               perhaps unlimited potential as a nation and
                                                     a people.
To that extent, I am very proud that this
exhibition offers an opportunity for those           Perhaps, in the land of the Dreamtime, there
voices to be heard on an equal footing with          is still a dream in which we all can share.
the balance of other artists, who do not
specifically identify as living with disability or   Welcome to For we are Young and Free.
other disadvantage.

Ken Wong is the Director of Watch Arts, a Victorian based contemporary arts consultancy. He has worked
in the fine arts industry for over 15 years in both commercial and community arts, curating and managing
a host of projects including gallery and outdoor sculpture exhibitions.
For we are young and free
exhibitors
08   Pamela Bain                 28   Peter Gresham

09   Gayle Bodsworth             29   Mary Hackett

10   Terry Barclay               30   Jodie Harris

11   Iris Bonello                31   Marice Henare

12   Sheila Callaghan

13   Peter Cave

14   Kevin Chin

15   Matthew Clarke

16   Damien Conte

17   Gabriela Crosara

                                 32   Kandria Hogan

18   Sophie Curzon-Siggers       33   Charles House & Shaun Low

19   Ruth de Vos                 34   Ying Huang

20   Christina Di Bona           35   Initially NO

21   Lynda Dingley               36   Sue Jarvis

22   Michelle Downing            37   Liz Johnson

23   Neville Duncan              38   Larissa MacFarlane

24   Mark Farrelly               39   Steven Makse

25   Sai-Wai Foo                 40   Leah Mariani

26   Jose Consul Gonsalves Jr.   41   Christina Markin

27   Debbi Gray                  42   Belinda Mason
For we are young and free
43   Aaron James McGarry

44   Anna McGrath

45   Alexander McGregor

46   Jinari Mountain

47   Greg Muir

48   Ryan Mullavey

49   Kathie Najar                 61           David Thomson

50   Clare O’Shannessy            62           SJ Thomson

51   Norian Paicu                 63           Mary van den Broek

52   Priscilla Pike               64           Liezel van der Linde

53   Fraser Pollock               65           Gary Walker

54   Frank Powell                 72           Patrick Walker

74   Leanne Prussing              66           James Wallace

55   Donna Richards               67           Sally Walshe

56   Ignacio Rojas                68           Oksana Waterfall

57   Daniel Savage                69           David Williams

58   Libby Schreiber              70           Joe Wilson

59   Pamela See                   71           Patrick Woolfe

60   The Winged Collective        73           Mr Wright

                          Aurukun Rugby Boys by Belinda Mason, Digital capture & print 2011
For we are young and free
pamela bain
victoria

Young & Free, Watercolour, pencil & pastel, 90 x 100cm, 2012, $1700

            Australia is known for its ‘wide                          Pamela began her schooling in the late
            open roads’ that traverse the                             1960s at the Sight Saving School in
            landscape and many Australians                            Hobart. Diagnosed with hypermetropia and,
            have experienced our ‘road trip’                          glaucoma, she has trouble seeing close
            culture including myself. Young                           up and at a distance. She cannot drive a
and Free is a re-interpretation of the road                           car, and also has trouble reading print.
matrix around Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.                            Overcoming some negative attitudes from
Maps, for me, represent freedom: like tickets to                      others during her childhood, including her
                                                                      specialist, Pamela succeeded in achieving
new beginnings, new futures. When I moved to
                                                                      a level of education she was told was out
Melbourne from Hobart to pursue my education,
                                                                      of her reach due to her disability. This
maps became an important tool that helped me                          includes a BA in Fine Art at the University
familiarise myself with my new environment.                           of Tasmania, two Graduate Diplomas and
Even though there are sometimes obstacles to                          a Masters from Melbourne and Monash
be overcome, I am thankful that Australia is a                        Universities. Apart from her studio practice,
place where travel is encouraged, freedom is                          she also works as a freelance illustrator
cherished and a pathway to academic pursuit is                        and graphic artist.
available.

08 for we are young and free
For we are young and free
gayle bodsworth
                                                                                        new south wales

              Nancy Bird Walton
              (1915-2009) and
              Margaret Olley
              (1923-2011) are
              Australian icons
              who epitomize
the lyrics “For we are young
and free”. Both were born in
country towns in NSW and
made significant contributions
to enriching Australia’s history
and culture throughout their
lives; so much so, they were
recognized as National Living
Treasures. I have endeavoured
to capture them in similar
poses both in their youth
and in their later years, to
try to express to the viewer
that although their outer
appearance may have changed
over the years, the embers of
the spirit of determination that
burned within them in their
youth, continued to warm our
country as they aged.

                                                                            Country Women, National Treasures
                                                                        Charcoal on paper & digital media, 2012
                                                                                                            POA

Living in a small village in northern New South Wales, Gayle has been a member of the local U3A art group
for about 2 years. Art has become an increasingly important means of communication for her. She finds
producing a piece of artwork that others find interesting a unique and hugely satisfying experience. This
digital exhibit is based on her recently completed first ever work in charcoal.

                                                                    for we are young and free 09
For we are young and free
terry barclay
victoria

                                                                              Whether we choose to
                                                                              acknowledge it or not
                                                                              we are all immigrants,
                                                                              or the offspring of
                                                                              immigrants. We all
                                                                             came      to     Australia
                                                                seeking a better life, yet for many
                                                                years governments of both political
                                                                colouring have chosen to make
                                                                immigration and especially the
                                                                immigration of refugees a political
                                                                platform by distorting the truth
                                                                and creating a climate of fear
                                                                and suspicion. The warmth and
                                                                humanity that was shown in the
                                                                past to people and families hoping
                                                                to create a better life for them and
                                                                their children has been gradually
                                                                eroded by the misinformation and
                                                                the half-truths fed to us by the media
                                                                and our government. When my wife
                                                                and I arrived in Australia nearly 40
                                                                years ago with 2 suitcases and our
                                                                chest x-rays, we were greeted by an
                                                                immigration official who smiled at us
                                                                when we told him that we had come
                                                                to live here. When did Australia’s
                                                                smile start to fade?
The Fading Smile
Carved & painted wood, 76 x 43 x 37cm, 2012
$1500

Terry lives near Frankston but was born in the North of England where he studied design at Bradford
College of Art. After graduating he worked as a commercial artist before migrating to Australia with his wife.
He has worked as a designer in private and public settings including NGV and The State Library of Victoria.
On retirement in 2007, he returned to study painting and sculpture at Chisholm Institute, completing a
Diploma of Visual Arts. In 2011 he was a finalist in the Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture
Award and is currently creating work for a solo show in November 2012.

10 for we are young and free
iris bonello
                                                                                       victoria

                                                                                Change in my time
                                                      Coloured markers & pencils, 24 x 33cm, 2009
                                                                                              $75

             Time moved ever so slow in          Iris was born in 1933 and has enjoyed
             the past. My world felt safe and    drawing since her teen years. She never
             secure, as it was bound with a      studied art but has continued to draw
                                                 and has never stopped ‘doodling’ as she
             chain, each link connected with
                                                 puts it. When a loved one passed away
             family and good friends. The        she discovered she had some skill using
            present time is fast; my world       geometry to create different designs. The
is no longer safe nor secure. My family are      concentration on measuring and colouring
all gone and so are most of my friends. The      became a soothing tool allowing her to
links in the chain have gone, only empty         grieve without dwelling too much on her
spaces remain. Time moves even faster            loss. Despite working with a tremor in her
today, rushing me to an unknown future,          hand she has created many designs and
                                                 exhibited her work at Bundoora Homestead
but regardless of this I will continue to keep
                                                 Art Centre in 2010 and 2011.
up because I am free to move on and free
to dream. I find no obstacles when I am
drawing, I feel young and truly free.

                                                       for we are young and free 11
sheila callaghan
Drop In Art at Port Melbourne Neighbourhood House
victoria

                                                                                           Roy de
                                                                                           Maistre,
                                                                                           considered
                                                                                           Australia’s
                                                                                           first abstract
                                                                                          painter was
                                                                            born of French ancestry
                                                                            migrants fleeing the
                                                                            French Revolution.
                                                                            His story is perhaps
                                                                            reflective of more
                                                                            contemporary Australian
                                                                            artists. His work was
                                                                            unacceptable to the then
                                                                            current local art circles
                                                                            fraternity, until his
                                                                            return from European
                                                                            exposure, where
                                                                            contemporary art forms
                                                                            were more advanced.
                                                                            Comparative freedom of
                                                                            new fields was evident
                                                                            in this artistic family.
                                                                            My contribution is
                                                                            influenced by his superb
                                                                            patterns of flat colour
                                                                            and design.

Old Boat Shed, North Shore, Sydney
Acrylic on canvas, 41 x 21cm, 2012
NFS

Sheila is a third generation Australian and a self taught painter. Her earliest painting was in watercolour
and she studied pottery for several years while living in Northern NSW. Now working with acrylic paints,
she is a member of the Drop in Art Group in Port Melbourne. She spent her early school years in Victoria’s
Western district, where she was inspired by the large expanses of flat paddocks offering constant seasonal
changes of colour that to this day still excite her and free her spirits.

12 for we are young and free
peter cave
                                                  represented by Arts Project Australia
                                                                               victoria

                                                                                       Mick Harvey
                                                           Acrylic on canvas, 86.5 x 86.5cm, 2012
                                                                                             $500

Peter’s paintings are frequently concerned with a distinctly Australian landscape, as well
as portraiture. Unabashed in their realism, his work depicts a country and people both
familiar and iconic. From his base in Melbourne, he has exhibited in cities across Australia
and internationally. In 2010 he won the Chapman and Bailey Acquisitive Art Award at Belle
Arti, Metro Arts in Brisbane. His work reflects a rich and unique view of everyday Australian
life, evidenced in this portrait of legendary Australian musician Mick Harvey.

                                                      for we are young and free 13
kevin chin
victoria

Other side of the fence
Oil on sized, unprimed linen, 150 x 192cm, 2012, $2700

               In a country where gay couples can        Kevin was born in Malaysia in 1980,
               neither get married nor have children,    migrating to Australia with his family
               this painting presents a longing for      when he was 2 years old. Since
                                                         graduating from VCA in 2006 he has
               escape into a pieced-together fantasy.
                                                         produced four solo exhibitions at West
               Playing with painterly conventions of     Space, Linden, Kings, and TCB. His work
              figure/ground, positive/negative, and      was recently published in the book, Safe
foreground/background, you have to write your            Hiding Spot. A finalist in the Metro Art
own rules when you don’t fit into societal family        Award (2010, 2009) and RBS Emerging
norms. Painting delicately onto the exposed linen        Artist Award (2009). Grants include the
calls for a gentle touch that reflects the tenderness    City of Melbourne (2010) and National
of the life I am trying to build together with my        Association of Visual Arts (2010-11).
same-sex partner of eight years.

14 for we are young and free
matthew clarke
                                                                                 victoria

                                                                               Camping
                                             Acrylic on canvas, 91 x 122cm, 2012, $1000

Mathew was born in 1986 and lives in Kirkstall, near Warrnambool in Regional
Victoria. He lives with mild intellectual disability and mental illness but this has
not impaired his pursuit of a passionate career as an artist. He has completed a
Diploma of Arts & Craft Design and is currently working on an Advanced Diploma
of Fine Arts. He has also produced 7 solo exhibitions and appeared in many group
shows in Warrnambool, Geelong and Melbourne. He is a member of Quarry Art
Studio in Warrnambool and his bold energetic works have been described as a
naïve, action style of painting. His love of the environment and painting comes
together in this piece that references the significance of the outdoors and camping
in Australian history and contemporary culture.

                                                for we are young and free 15
damien conte
new south wales

                                                                  Damien is a young artist with
                                                                  autism. He has a limited ability
                                                                  to communicate verbally
                                                                  and thus uses painting to
                                                                  share his inner world with
                                                                  others. He has spent the last
                                                                  5 years working with several
                                                                  local artists in a mentoring
                                                                  capacity and as a result has
                                                                  acquired a natural finesse for
                                                                  acrylic painting techniques
                                                                  and an understanding of
                                                                  composition     requirements.
                                                                  This has emerged into a
                                                                  unique personal style that
                                                                  often      evokes     powerful
                                                                  responses from viewers. He
                                                                  has won several awards for his
                                                                  work and has exhibited all over
                                                                  Australia. Damien works in his
                                                                  home studio with minimum
                                                                  assistance. When he is not
                                                                  painting he enjoys bike riding,
                                                                  swimming and going to the
                                                                  gym. He has a weekend job
                                                                  feeding farm animals at a local
Universal Bonds
Acrylic & marker pen on canvas, 40 x 40cm, 2012                   outdoor and environmental
$350                                                              education centre.

             There are very many different ways that young people are seen by others in
             Australian society, compared with the way young people view themselves. For
             young people with disabilities this is perhaps doubly true; they have a very
             different view of themselves and where they sit in our society, especially about
             their ability to make a valuable contribution. In the very recent past young
             people with disabilities in Australia were grouped together in segregated
centres. However, now people with disabilities are encouraged to live life their own way the
same as their peers. This piece represents a new paradigm where people with disabilities
are at the centre of their lives with families and communities all around supporting them.
With this assistance, Damien has been self-managing his government funding for several
years. By having more say in how he wants to live his life he has discovered his passion for
painting and a new direction.
                                                                          Text by Cheryl Gardner

16 for we are young and free
gabriela crosara
                                                                represented by Carinya Society
                                                                                       victoria

                                                                                  Community integration
                                                           Posca pen & marker on paper, 68 x 99cm, 2012
                                                                           $300 framed, $150 unframed

              For Gabriela, as an artist with intellectual disability, art is a large part of
              her communication. She contentedly works on each artwork for weeks,
              painstakingly creating diverse pieces that display a natural affinity for colour.
              With time, her self- and artistic confidence has grown which is reflected in
              bolder, vibrant pieces. Art has provided Gabby a voice; her art speaks of
              hopefulness and optimism, a theme that shines through this work. In the
drawing, a variety of colours and gestures are used, combining flat planes of colour and
texture, plus areas of stipple. Her local communities of Broadmeadows and Coburg are
diverse in culture, and this artwork is a metaphor for how with respect and communication,
variety sits as a balanced whole - every quality has a place.
                                                                            Text by Samantha Clarke

                                                             for we are young and free 17
sophie curzon-siggers
victoria

Hippies use side door
Photography – Neopan 1600 film, digital print (Edition 1 of 2) 32.9 x 38cm, 2010, $180

             The sign that directs the less desirable                                    Sophie is a poet and photographer
             patrons to a concealed entry confronted                                     whose respective practices are
             my father (a former hippy) and I (with                                      separate yet siblings of the same
                                                                                         artistic thread. Both seek to
             camera). A mirror framed our responses,
                                                                                         frame an image; to use the visual
             continuing a theme I explored in a series                                   in order to transcend the thing
             of photographs taken at an Equal Love                                       it represents, that something of
rally in Melbourne in 2010. The right to protest to                                      its’ universal nature – its’ aliases
augment the liberties and civil rights of all our citizens                               and second families – might
is part of Australian life. Where once people may                                        be revealed. Sophie lives with
have been obliged to follow such direction, now we                                       disability caused by a chronic
are merely faced with our own comical reactions. The                                     neurological and immunological
                                                                                         syndrome.
sign, once indicative of concerns about class and social
status, heralds how far we have come.

18 for we are young and free
ruth de vos
                                                                                      western australia

               In this
               beautiful
               country
               we are
              privileged
that our children
are free to discover
the awesome world
around them with
full tummies and
without the threat
of war. They are
free to discover the
budding flowers,
snail trails, ripening
fruit, textured leaves,
dripping rain and
floating bubbles
and to delight in the
wonderful world
that God has made.
Observing small
children experience
                                                                                              Taking It All In #1
this for the first time                                                              Textile, 85 x 78cm, 2011
is a wonderful                                                                                             $900
reminder of just
how special these
ordinary things are.       Ruth was born in 1979, lives in Mount Nasura, Western Australia and is the
                           mother of 4 children. Her work stems from the historical and increasingly
It is my prayer that
                           popular and contemporary practice of quilting. She is one of many modern
we may all share in        practitioners of this traditional craft skill creating international recognition
and learn from the         for it as a contemporary fine art form. Her work involves stitching hundreds
delight, innocence         of small pieces of hand-dyed fabric together to create fabric tableaux known
and wideeyed wonder        as textile paintings. She has exhibited widely and her works are held in
of our children,           collections including the Western Australian Museum and private collections
especially we here in      in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and United States.
this most beautiful
and privileged part of
the world.

                                                                   for we are young and free 19
christina di bona
new south wales

                                                            Christina was raised in Sydney’s
                                                            South West in an area dubbed as
                                                            “a low-skilled, lower socio-economic
                                                            region”. She believes it suffers
                                                            from a negative stereotype due
                                                            to limited public resources and a
                                                            significant amount of migrants living
                                                            in numerous housing commission
                                                            developments. A 2006 study showed
                                                            that 50% of the Western Sydney
                                                            area had no formal qualifications.
                                                            Despite this, in 2005 Christina was
                                                            identified as within the top percentile
                                                            of High School Visual Arts Students,
                                                            and selected for Bodgies, Westies
                                                            & Homies a curated exhibition at
                                                            Fairfield Museum and Gallery in
                                                            Sydney. She was recognised on
                                                            the NSW 2008 HSC Distinguished
                                                            Achievers List and in 2009 was
                                                            selected for exhibition at Port
                                                            Macquarie Regional Gallery. Since
                                                            then she has been fulfilling demand
                                                            for collection of her artworks overseas
                                                            including the United Kingdom, Spain
                                                            and the United States.

The Same But Different: Self Portrait of My Friends and I
Mixed media, 76.5 x 57cm, 2012
$295

               Growing up in Western Sydney, I was surrounded by a melting pot of
               cultures and people. My friendship group consists of people who descend
               from numerous nationalities and cultures, yet we are all still proud to call
               ourselves Australian. Regardless of what country of origin our families come
               from, the food we eat or religion we believe, we are all human with the same
              goals for our future. Inspired by this notion of “the same, but different”, and
Andy Warhol’s repetitive screen prints, I featured my friends and my own nationality of
origin in something that is used frequently in our daily life, and is quintessentially Aussie;
The Thong. This work is a celebration of not only our diverse cultural backgrounds but
our patriotism towards Australia and the creation of a harmonious multicultural society. I
think it is indicative of the community spirit all over Australia.

20 for we are young and free
lynda dingley
                                                             represented by Art Unlimited
                                                                                  victoria

                                                                            Sisters Merging Together
                                                               Acrylic on canvas, 77 x 102cm, 2011
                                                                                               $475

             During Dreamtime, our land was         As a mature person Lynda has discovered
             undamaged and pristine. Now, many      her true life’s journey as an artist after
             of the immense forests that once       being confined to a wheelchair in 2007. As
                                                    an indigenous person she finds the basis
             existed are gone and many animals
                                                    of her work comes from her heritage.
             have become endangered species         Her love of this country is paramount
            or extinct. My work focuses on the      to the genesis of her paintings and her
Australian landscape combined with Aboriginal       development is fed by interaction with
art and my goal is to raise awareness so the next   established artists. Images are distilled in
generation is educated about the need to protect    her sketchbooks from pictures, memories
the natural environment.                            and imagination and then translated into
                                                    paintings.

                                                        for we are young and free 21
michelle downing
victoria

                                                                              Children do not belong
                                                                              behind bars and razor
                                                                              wire in detention
                                                                              camps. There are
                                                                              currently around 1000
                                                                              children in Australia
                                                                living like this and studies have
                                                                shown a correlation between
                                                                extended periods in detention and
                                                                serious mental health issues in the
                                                                young children detained. The photos
                                                                I have used are refugees in Australia
                                                                in Australian detention facilities.
                                                                The young girl in a posture similar
                                                                to the statue of liberty and her
                                                                message is to remember the words
                                                                of our anthem and ensure freedom
                                                                for these young children, many of
                                                                whom have suffered great trauma in
                                                                their journey to Australia.

Kids Don’t Belong in Detention
Mixed media on paper, 120 x 90cm, 2012
$400

Michelle is a resident of Williamstown who was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1966 and completed a BA at
Adelaide University in 1986. She started painting as a child but began working seriously as an artist three
years ago. Last year she gave up a career in IT management to become a full time artist. Her leap of
faith was rewarded this year when she won the Amnesty International Freedom Art Prize. She has worked
predominantly in oil paint but her latest body of work is a combination of charcoal and acrylic. She
specialises in portraits, particularly of children and seeks to capture the carefree nature of childhood. Her
naïve style emulates the drawings of children and uses a limited colour palette.

22 for we are young and free
neville duncan
                                                                          represented by Carinya Society
                                                                                                 victoria

              Neville is an
              incredibly friendly
              and community
              minded person.
              He generally
              creates buoyant
scenes with numerous
characters that feel alive and
connected. He is very aware of
his environment and he takes
initiative to assist others if
help is required or if he senses
they are struggling, or simply
to share the load. Shared
living provides a challenge for
most but if we were all like
Neville, joining together as a
disabled person or not, our
community would be strong;
a quality required in a young
community as multi-cultural
as Melbourne. This drawing
perhaps reflects the possible
colourful existence that is a
product of working together
instead of in competition with
each other.                                                                                        World community
                                                                            Pen & pastel on paper, 62 x 41cm, 2012
              Text by Samantha Clarke                                                                         $175

Neville is an optimistic individual with a passion for creating art. Due to living with Downs Syndrome, Neville
has attended the Carinya Society day centre for over 15 years where he has learnt independent life skills
and spent many hours in the art room. He has exhibited in numerous community exhibitions and the centre
often receives phone calls with requests for his artwork.

                                                                        for we are young and free 23
mark farrelly
victoria

                                                                                         There is
                                                                                         nothing
                                                                                         more
                                                                                         Australian
                                                                                         than two
                                                                                         young boys
                                                                            on summer holidays at
                                                                            the beach, gathering sea
                                                                            creatures at the local
                                                                            rock pools. I think this
                                                                            image typifies what it is
                                                                            to be young and free in
                                                                            Australia.

At the rock pools
C-type pigment print (Edition 1 of 10), 70 x 50cm, 2012, $600

Since graduating with a BA in photography from RMIT in 1994, Mark has worked as a commercial
photographer while continuing to develop his artwork. In 2009 and 2012 he was selected as a semi-finalist
in the prestigious national Moran Photographic Prize and is also a past prizewinner in the Williamstown
Festival Contemporary Art Prize. He exhibits regularly and he has been represented by Jackman Gallery
since 2006.

24 for we are young and free
sai-wai foo
                                                                                                            victoria

                            Girt by sea                     I’m from everywhere             Dreams of the Grey Nomad
  Mixed Media, 42.5 x 20cm diam (base)     Mixed Media, 42.5 x 20cm diam (base)     Mixed Media, 30 x 20cm diam (base)
                          2012, $580                                2012, $580                            2012, $560

                Girt by sea                            I’m from                                 Dreams of the
                explores                               everywhere                               Grey Nomad –
                Australia’s                            plays on the                             Part curiosity
                nautical past,                         lyrics of the                            and part tourist
                whether it be                          1959 Geoff                               kitsch,this
               from the Torres            Mack song, which listed                 piece embraces the idea
Straits, first fleet, post war            Australian country towns.               of the freedom to travel
European migrants or                      Here our diverse cultural               and explore of the great
asylum seekers.                           past is represented in                  Australian road trip and
                                          the use of cartography &                also themes of retirement,
                                          atlas papers; our diverse               life goals & great journeys
                                          backgrounds are reminders               whether they are physical,
                                          of our rich heritage but the            emotional or psychological.
                                          common thread that binds
                                          us is the Australian psyche.

Sai-Wai an emerging artist who has made the move from fashion design to establishing an art practice. She
trained in fashion design disciplines and has worked as a commercial designer, stylist and illustrator over
a number of years. Her fashion background influences and informs the finish, construction, materials and
approach to her current practice.

                                                                             for we are young and free 25
jose consul gonsalves jr.
victoria

Freedom?
Digital Photo (Second Edition: Free Sudan) 86 x 124cm, 2007
$3000

              As a member of a                           Born in Mozambique in 1970, Jose is a documentary
              cultural and linguistic                    photographer and video artist currently studying his
              community other                            Masters of International Relations at the University
                                                         of Melbourne and Masters of Community Cultural
              than English, I am
                                                         Development at VCA. He has a strong commitment to
              aware of the notion                        social justice and active citizenship. In a career spanning
of linguistic capital in which                           more than 10 years, he has produced a body of work that
language is seen as a form of                            portrays Mozambique’s vibrant culture covering a wide
capital that can be exchanged                            range of social, economic and political themes. Currently
for other forms of capital –                             he is the Creative Director of Grass Tree Productions in
political, social, economic or                           Melbourne, a non-profit production company specializing
cultural. Linguistic competence                          in multi-media projects for young people. He believes
                                                         that Australian’s successful transition to a prosperous,
– or incompetence - reveals itself
                                                         tolerant, truly inclusive and mature democracy depends
through daily interactions.                              on the active participation of its young people.

26 for we are young and free
debbi gray
                                                                                                   victoria

                                                                                   Camping with Maternal Love
                                                                     Acrylic on canvas, 60 x 90cm, 2012, $250

               I was a very frustrated and dismayed unemployed person with a disability who
               returned to my country hometown to raise my daughter after working 20 years
               in Melbourne. I have travelled around and driven a rally car across Australia on
               two occasions and solo travelled through many other countries. As an admired
               high profile person in my hometown, I thought I would gain employment once
my daughter started school. I was wrong! So after spending many years as a hobby artist with
pencil, I was convinced by a professional artist friend to study art in order to gain further
skills, in the hope that I might be able to work within the community when a community art
project arose. It was not to be. Fighting depression over several years I have come out the
other side and am now beginning to produce art again. With a new found confidence I want to
now display one of my many skills, in the hope that society will not see me as just somebody to
look after. Therefore, I have decided to display my artwork. I currently sit in a very supportive
studio two days a week and look forward to producing a lot more works. I was inspired to
create this work specifically for this exhibition because I am an Aussie gal with a great love for
my daughter, and the Aussie bush due to the peaceful feeling and freedom it offers.

Debbi was born in Lakes Entrance, Victoria in 1957 with no arms and malformed legs. In 2004 she
completed a Diploma of Visual Arts at East Gippsland TAFE in Bairnsdale. In addition to pursing her art
practice, Debbi is also a single mum to her 20 year-old daughter Emma.

                                                                  for we are young and free 27
peter gresham
victoria

                                                              Peter was born in Melbourne in
                                                              1957. He works in a variety of
                                                              mediums including painting in oils,
                                                              watercolours and acrylics, both
                                                              on canvas and paper. He is also
                                                              busy working on different bodies
                                                              of work in photography, printing
                                                              on archival American cotton and
                                                              archival canvas. He considers his
                                                              work contemporary surrealism and
                                                              abstraction. In recent years he has
                                                              shown extensively in solo and group
                                                              shows and his works are held in
                                                              private and corporate collections.
                                                              More of his work can be viewed at
                                                              www.surrealistpop.com.

Portrait of Professor Graeme Clarke
Acrylic on canvas, 153 x 122cm, 2012
$1750

             I do not generally identify as someone with disability, and although it was not
             a prerequisite, while considering a response to this exhibition I realized that
             with my 90% deafness, I was indeed disabled. Consequently I thought I should
             champion the cause for the man that is changing lives for ten’s of thousands
             of people across the world. Professor Graeme Clarke is the inventor of the
            cochlear implant and is the reason today that I don’t feel disabled. He is a great
Australian innovator who has contributed enormously to society and who still today shows
great Aussie creative invention in his new projects.

28 for we are young and free
mary hackett
                                                                                                             victoria

                                                                                                                  Birth
                                       Mild steel and scale (the residue from forging), approx. 90 x 130 x 130cm, 2012
                                                                                                                $5600

              Anything sitting in, on or around Australia is described as a ‘resource’ instead
              of being seen as unique topography and therefore something to treasure. This
              work questions our exploitation of Australia as a continent by suggesting both
              birth and death of an object/ creature. It does not declare that using what is
              available is wrong, but asks that it be regarded with reverence.

Mary completed a Master of Fine Art with distinction at RMIT University in 2011, receiving a Graduate
Award and a place on the Vice-Chancellor’s List for Academic Excellence. Her particular interest is in
metalsmithing. She is a coordinator and a founding member of Blacksmith Doris (a women’s blacksmithing
group), a partner in NMH Metalworks with her husband and also teaches silversmithing at TAFE level.
Eleven years ago Mary was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and while she is generally able to manage
her condition, she does have times of mild relapse resulting in limited lower limb movement and extreme
fatigue. In 2011 she was selected for the international exhibition, Love Lace at the Powerhouse Museum,
Sydney. Her works are in private collections in Australia, China, USA and Britain.

                                                                         for we are young and free 29
jodie harris
new south wales

Disposable Days # 2
Photograph (Edition 2 of 2), 42 x 58.5cm unframed, $1200 unframed

              My work explores the relationship                     Jodie was born in 1982 and graduated
              between our rate of consumption                       with a BA in Photography from Queensland
              and imminent disposal of 98%                          College of Art in 2011. Over the past four
                                                                    years she has exhibited widely in Australia
              of what we buy. Through this
                                                                    and internationally. She specialises in
              increasing disconnect, our humble                     the field of Social Documentary and
             trash has become an iconic                             describes her work as a mixture of political
representation of western society in the eastern                    comment and personal interpretation of
world. The mood present in the work serves                          the world as presented to her. Her current
to capture the viewer and provoke thought                           series explores her Indigenous heritage.
surrounding the continuing advances of mass                         By placing herself and her work within
media and the role it is playing in justifying our                  the context of historical ethnographic
                                                                    imagery, Jodie redefines what being
“upgradeable” existence. A role that serves to
                                                                    black means and how it is represented in
perpetuate the resulting lack of accountability of                  western iconography.
our culture of trash.

30 for we are young and free
marice henare
                                                                                                 victoria

             My mother was
             a painter and I
             always loved it.
             As a child I used
             to draw in the
             dirt with a stick
and on concrete with charcoal
remains of burnt firewood;
it was what I excelled at. I
found painting relaxing, it
took my mind off my fear of
being in public. This work
was painted from a photo in
the Herald Sun newspaper
to mark a momentous day in
the history of our country,
when Prime Minister Kevin
Rudd apologised to the stolen
generations. This event
had a very deep personal
significance for my mother
and family.

                                   Sorry
               Oil & oil pastel on paper
                      60 x 51cm, 2008
                                   $300

Marice was born 72 yeas ago in Chelsea, Victoria. She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis ten years
ago but has been mostly restricted to a wheel chair since 1989. Her mother is of Aboriginal descent
from the Yorta Yorta tribe and her father a white Australian. As a child her mother always reinforced her
Aboriginal heritage, even though speaking about it brought shame to her family and so was discouraged.
Her serious pursuit of art began in her mid 40’s when she attended an art group for mature age Aboriginal
students at Dandenong TAFE and graduated with a Certificate of Art and Design. Through this course she
received a scholarship to travel to Europe to expand her knowledge of art by visiting galleries, museums
and exhibitions. She was so inspired by the work of other indigenous people, that her interest in her own
heritage was rekindled. Since then she has continued her education with courses in silk painting, pottery,
lead lighting and many other artistic pursuits. Her works have been exhibited at the National Gallery of
Victoria and are held in collections including State Trustees and The Brotherhood of St Laurence, where
she has worked as a volunteer with homeless people and street kids for 20 years.

                                                                    for we are young and free 31
kandria hogan
western australia

Malu Weipu                                        Punu Shape
Sandalwood, 43 x 7 x 5cm, 2012, $240              Desert oak, 57 x 14 x 8cm, 2012, $250

              I am a young Spinifex lady. I enjoy making          Kandria was born in 1994 and
              punu because it is fun and I like carving           lives in Tjuntjuntjara, a remote
              shapes in the wood. I have also enjoyed             Aboriginal community in the
                                                                  Victoria Desert, WA. The nearest
              making art and paintings. I like pattern
                                                                  town is Kalgoorlie, 700kms
              making with the punu using the different            away. She has learned traditional
             colours and shapes in the wood and have              wood carving (punu) from her
watched the older people make punu in the bush since              elders and combined this with
I was young. They would say to us ‘when you grow up               new techniques learned from
you will be learn these things from old people’. I have           a Victorian sculptor who is
also enjoyed learning new techniques with a sculptor.             conducting an ongoing residency
In my punu work I enjoy using old people’s way and                in her community. This has led to
                                                                  Kandria’s first group exhibition,
my new way of punu. My artwork is about things I have
                                                                  the 2012 Tjuntjuntjara Sculpture
seen in the land and they tell stories. The Malu Weipu            Exhibition at Kalgoorlie, WA.
is a kangaroo tail.

32 for we are young and free
charles house & shaun low
                                                                                       supported by DHS
                                                                                                 victoria

              For this
exhibition, we have
experimented with
Shaun painting the
backgrounds and
Charlie drawing
on top of them,
in order to create
some collaborative
works, to interesting
effect. This work is a
curious divergence
for both men,
in which Shaun
rather unusually
chose to create a                                                                             Ghosts of the Free
dark background,                                           Acrylic & paint pens on canvas, 45.5 x 60.5cm, 2012
                                                                                                           $250
that Charlie then
populated with
curious ghostly
creatures, smiling       Shaun has Autism and does not speak. He paints every week from his home.
faces and floating       He chooses the colours he wants to work with each session, usually bright
bodies. Inexplicably     orange, pink and red shades. He works quickly, yet with diligent focus, mixing
he then filled it with   his colours and working until the entire canvas has been sufficiently covered.
hundreds of dots.        When he is satisfied, he usually hands the piece back to his support worker
The end result is        and doesn’t want to see it again. Painting is an activity that Shaun has enjoyed
somewhat similar to      for many years. It seems to keep him calm and happy and provide him with a
the ‘dot’ paintings      means of expressing himself that he can’t do vocally.
of Indigenous
                         Charlie has an Acquired Brain Injury. He spends much of his evenings working
Australians, though
                         on his drawings and in the warmer months sits in his back yard drawing until
neither Charlie
                         the sun goes down. He draws with thick permanent markers or paint pens,
nor Shaun come           creating fantastical creatures of his own imagination such as ghosts, vampire
from Indigenous          birds or mummy-creatures. The people in his drawings are always happy and
Australian               smiling and bright, often surrounded by love-hearts or smiling suns. He has
backgrounds.             recently displayed and sold his artworks at local galleries, cafes and school
                         art shows. He loves to talk at length to people about his creations whenever
Text by Simon Bragg      he has the chance.

                                                                  for we are young and free 33
ying huang
victoria

                                                          Ying left China in her early twenties
                                                          and spent several years travelling
                                                          through Asia before settling in Thailand.
                                                          She immigrated to Australia in 2001.
                                                          She has worked as a scuba diving
                                                          instructor in Queensland, Thailand and
                                                          Egypt, but is currently completing a
                                                          Bachelor of Fine Art at RMIT majoring
                                                          in Printmaking. In 2011 she was the
                                                          winner of the Flanagan Art Prize and
                                                          this year has been selected as a finalist
                                                          for the Rick Amor Drawing Prize at
                                                          Ballarat Art Gallery.

                                                          Kelly
                                                          Charcoal & pastel on paper
                                                          91 x 72cm, 2012
                                                          $1800

              My current art practice explores themes of identity, loss and justice. I am
              influenced by my experience of growing up in Communist China and the
              impact of this on my immediate family for the last three generations. This
              portrait is based on the death mask of Ned Kelly, an Australian icon who was
              executed at the Old Melbourne Gaol in 1880. Although the death penalty has
             now been abolished, my work reminds us that this was a relatively recent period
in the history of our justice system. It serves as an example of the powerful relationship
between the arbitrary nature of conventional morality and the law. It invites the viewer
to be vigilant and to constantly question that morality; particularly when it is reflected in
legislation that facilitates the State’s power to destroy a life.

34 for we are young and free
Initially NO
                                                          represented by The Stables Studio
                                                                                    victoria

Initially NO was
born in 1972. Over
the past 10 years
her art practice
has been intensive
producing 10 solo
exhibitions, which
she credits to
having access
to studio space
at The Stables.
Her work takes a
variety of forms,
from found
objects, through
abstraction, to
more recently
painting
landscapes from
life. She was
diagnosed with
schizophrenia 13
                                                                                        Mountain Ash
years ago and has                                                     Oil on canvas, 51 x 61cm, 2012
had a number of                                                                                 $200
psychotic episodes
triggered by
trauma, like the
death of someone                  In the past I spent years continuously sketching without
close to her. Her                 knowing what would appear on the page. I called this,
last episode was                  The automatic hand. After large doses of neuroleptics in
a year and a half                 hospitalizations, this amazing skill I had disappeared. I
ago. She is hoping                have, however, since my last episode been able to write
psychosis does not                a children’s story and illustrate it. I have to think about
happen again.
                     what I’m going to paint or draw though. I didn’t used to do that, I’d
                     trust myself and something amazing from my dreams would appear.
                     In 2004 I created a series of abstracts about the culmination of my
                     travels around Australia. Something new was developing in my mind,
                     about the individual that is Australia. I travelled far west and up
                     north, but even though there were differences it somehow was still
                     Australia. Recently I have been seeking to capture the look and feel
                     of our landscape in oil paints. This one is near Cambarville where
                     a beautiful tall mountain ash was lucky enough to escape the black
                     Saturday fires.

                                                            for we are young and free 35
sue jarvis
victoria

Ode to Youth, Oil on canvas, 78 x 93cm, 2008, $1700

              Australian youth                    Sue was born and raised in the industrial and now multicultural
              are not constrained                 city of Dandenong in Melbourne’s southeast. She was a major
              by pressures to                     prizewinner at the Dandenong Festival of Music and Art for
                                                  Youth, and went on to become an art teacher and artist. Her
              conform. They do
                                                  practice also includes photography and much of her current
              not succumb to                      work expresses an interest in the everyday, the changing nature
             pressures of time or                 of the city and socio-political issues of contemporary life. Sue
of place. They interact in their                  has been a finalist of the ANL Maritime Art Award many times
own way. Their common bond                        and was a finalist in the Blake Prize in Sydney, 2006. Her works
is the use of social media and                    are in collections throughout Australia and overseas, including
mobile phones.                                    the State Library of Victoria. More of her works can be viewed
                                                  at www.suejarvisartist.com.au

36 for we are young and free
liz johnson
                                                                                          victoria

                                                                                          Gene Pool
                                                                              Watercolour, pen & ink
                                                                                 87 x 110cm, 2012
                                                                                              $450

              Bathers are not only an acceptable    Liz is a visual artist who works in the genres
              form of casual summer clothing in     of landscapes and still life, using a range of
              Australia, they are almost a right    media including pastels, watercolour, pen
                                                    and ink. She has been exhibiting her work
              of passage; symbolizing freedom
                                                    in solo and group exhibitions since 2006.
              of movement and self - expression.
              The individual bathers represent
all the different shapes and sizes of people that
make up contemporary urban Australia.

                                                         for we are young and free 37
larissa macfarlane
victoria

                An Urban Industrial Playground III, Collagraph & stencil monoprint, 55 x 68cm, 2012, $450

             My work investigates what it means to live at the intersection of the industrial,
             suburban and natural worlds, exploring ways we coexist with technologies
             and structures that at the same time we can be so disconnected from. The ever
             increasing consumer lifestyle that dominates contemporary Australian life
             has seen an explosion in car and truck traffic as we transport ourselves and
the containers of consumer goods around the country. These art works explore how we
negotiate,interpret, mark and change these places to make them our own or find a place
to play. I hope to find ways to look anew at our contemporary urban landscapes, and thus
possibly (re)examine how our current choices define contemporary Australian life.

Larissa was born in London, England in 1969. She began her studies in the visual arts after a brain
injury and car accident redirected her life in her late 20’s. She completed a Diploma in Visual Arts (CAE)
in 2010 and is currently undertaking undergraduate studies in printmaking at RMIT. She is inspired by
the landscapes of Melbourne’s West where she has lived and ridden her bicycle for the past 10 years.
She also draws inspiration from her experience of illness and disability to investigate ideas of belonging
and place, healing and change, and ways that we can celebrate what we have here and now. Her many
exhibitions include 5 solo shows and she has a strong interest in community art, leading many projects that
use principles of peer support and self-advocacy to be inclusive of people of all abilities. Awards include
Mini Print International Asia Pacific, 2012, Arts Access Australia 2011 and Finalist 2012 Silk Cut Awards.
Collections include Maribyrnong City Council, MIND, TAC and the Mental Health Foundation.

38 for we are young and free
steven makse
                                                                                                western australia

                                                                                                            Australia Day
                                                                                        Oil on board, 65 x 80cm, 2012
                                                                                                                  $1200
                                      Part proceeds of sale go directly to Layla and her sister (pictured in the portrait)

               The meaning of Australia as a nation                     Steven was born in 1973 and has a
               is both contentious and subjective.                      Masters of Visual Art from Edith Cowan
               Like those of any country, accounts of                   University in Perth. He works mainly
                                                                        in paint and some digital media,
               our history have been written to suit
                                                                        often with a subtle tension between
               particular points of view. So is January                 the absurd, the optimistic and the
              26 ‘Australia Day’ or ‘Invasion Day’?                     apocalyptic. He was the recipient of
Depending on who you ask, it could go either way.                       the Kondinin Centenary Art Prize in
To these particular refugees, two Batwa sisters                         2010 and more of his works can be
from the Republic of Burundi – Australia is place                       viewed at www.stevenmakse.com
of relative freedom – a safe haven from the troubles
and persecution in their homeland.

                                                                         for we are young and free 39
leah mariani
victoria

                                                                                  I have
                                                                                  recently been
                                                                                  exploring
                                                                                  the theme
                                                                                  of childhood
                                                                                  and
                                                                     innocence. The subject
                                                                     here is a young girl with
                                                                     her arms outstretched
                                                                     to the sky, her dress and
                                                                     hair flowing in the wind.
                                                                     She is shown to be young,
                                                                     happy and carefree
                                                                     and one imagines that
                                                                     she wants to fly high in
                                                                     the sky. The image is
                                                                     symbolic, representing
                                                                     her future hopes and
                                                                     dreams and her potential
                                                                     to take on the world.

I can fly
Dry point print on paper (A/P), 32 x 23cm, 2012
$150

Leah is an emerging artist, currently completing a Diploma of Visual Arts at the Centre for Adult Education
in Melbourne. She works in painting, collage and printing making. Her work is held privately and has
been exhibited in cafes and group exhibitions. Recently she has been selected as a finalist for the 2012
Lethbridge Small-Scale Art Award, 2011 Metro Art Award, 2011 Agendo Award and the Box Hill Community
Arts Centre Biennial Art Competition 2011.

40 for we are young and free
christina markin
                                                                                           victoria

            Undefined Boundries
 Acrylic on marine treated board
               60 x 60cm, 2012
                          $1500

              I do not aim to reproduce what I’ve seen,        Christina was born in 1975 and
              but rather to relive the experience of a         lives at Whittlesea. Her heritage is
              space. Through my work I aim to question         half Cree Indian of the First Nations
                                                               people of Canada. She completed
              the relationship between memory and
                                                               an honours degree in visual arts in
              the present; and how our perceptions of          Canada over a decade ago before
              our environment impacts our collective           spending several years travelling
history. I feel compelled by the sense of emptiness,           through Europe and completing
history and desolation that is evoked from industrial          additional study at university,
and some urban spaces. I seek to capture what is as well       most recently a Post-Grad Diploma
as what isn’t, and in doing so, allow for the possibilities    in Fine Arts at VCA. In 2011 she
that arise from uncertainty. My experience not only as         commenced an Artist in Residence
                                                               Program at New Delhi, India and
a Canadian Indigenous person, but also an immigrant
                                                               was a Finalist in the Sunshine
allows for a unique emotional landscape, as I find             Coast Art Prize, Queensland.
myself integrating into Australian culture.

                                                              for we are young and free 41
belinda mason
new south wales

Aurukun Rugby Boys, Digital capture & print (Edition 7 of 10) 75 x 120cm, 2011, $795

              This image of Aboriginal people from                         Belinda is a Sydney-based freelance
              the remote community of Aurukun, a                           photographer who previously worked as
              small indigenous community on the                            a News Ltd Press photographer. Since
              North West tip of Cape York Peninsula,                       1998 her work has focused on taboo
              is inspired by the spirit of reconciliation                  social issues that explore the very personal
                                                                           and sometimes difficult subjects of grief,
between the oldest living culture in the world and
                                                                           body image, identity and family. With the
the youngest living culture in the world. Together
                                                                           assistance of Accessible Arts and Visions
we forge a new future together, remembering and                            of Australia, her work about sexuality and
learning from the past, so that all our children will                      disability, Intimate Encounters, toured
always remain, young and free. I took these images                         Australia extensively for seven years. This
whilst working on a project with the community to                          exhibition continues to tour internationally
visual record their stories for a project that is yet to                   and has been shown in London, Barcelona,
be finished due to lack of funding. The exhibition                         Seville, New York, Toronto and Auckland.
will been shown at The State Library of NSW in                             In 2008 Belinda was the recipient of The
conjunction with NADOC week and the World Press                            Moran Prize for photography and also the
Awards www.yolnguonbalanda.com.                                            Human Rights Award for Photography.

42 for we are young and free
aaron james mcgarry
                                                                                       victoria

                   Calyptorhynchus banksii
                   (the Red Tailed Black
                   Cockatoo) is a native
                   Australian bird and
                   one of our larger bird
                  fauna. It is no surprise
    it is currently under threat due to
    de-forestation of its natural habitat.
    The aim of this work is to show
    the indisputable beauty of a single
    feather, one of many making up
    this creature. Every creature that
    makes our country so great and
    diverse deserves to be preserved
    and recognised for the striking and
    stunning creation it is; for what are
    we without what makes our country
    so unique and special?

Aaron is a 28 year-old artist from Melbourne who lives
with Bi-Polar disorder. He attended the National Art
School in Sydney and has since exhibited widely and
received multiple awards. In 2011 he was selected
for the Australian Stencil Art Prize and this year was a
semifinalist in the coveted Moran Prize for Photography.
Aaron works in a wide range of mediums, reflecting the
world around him and sees all things (whether ugly,
powerful or pretty) as inspirational; the sights, sounds
and emotions he experiences precipitate works that
range from the beautiful to the macabre.

                                    Calyptorhynchus banksii
                                 Stencil/print (Edition 1 of 1)
                                          130 x 49cm, 2012
                                                         $600

                                                                  for we are young and free 43
anna mcgrath
victoria

                                                                                                                © Photograph Stefan Duscio
Mandarin Peel, Capture Format – Super 16 mm film & Red. Exhibition Format – DVD, 5 minute duration, 2009, NFS

               Mandarin Peel looks at childhood, a time of being “young and free”, through the lens
               of memory and dreams. The film does not follow a traditional narrative structure
               but through an evocative montage it turns a surrealist eye upon the experiences of
               two girls in the dry environment of a Melbourne summer. The film evokes tactile
               experiences and revels in the visceral. The girls silently interact with each other and the
landscape, making their mark, they hoard objects, sharing, bonding and touching the natural
and unnatural in their midst. The film explores the innocence of childhood, kinship of the young,
instinctual reactions, sensations, shifting boundaries, violence and forgiveness. The girls are part of
the landscape, they are not just placed “in” it, and indeed l feel the landscape is the third character
in the film. The strong tradition of “women in the landscape” constantly referenced in Australian
art speaks much of our cultural preoccupation with themes of isolation and the imagined horror of
the wide-open spaces of our country. Finally, the children of Mandarin Peel serve as metaphors for
Australia itself, its exploration of identity, forging relationships, inventing history and future.

Anna is a Melbourne based film writer and director with a passion for telling Australian stories. She has a
Masters of Film and Television from VCA and her films have screened in over 60 film festivals around the
world.

44 for we are young and free
alexander mcgregor
                                                                       new south wales

                                                                          Easter Party
                                                       Drawing, 35x 45cm, 2010, $660

                I like to draw because it is fun for me, also I spent
                a long time to do them from the time when I was a
                baby. I like to draw people I know, buildings and
                transport from my own way, as I enjoy them. I
                draw them with the different stories that I write.

Alexander is an 18 year-old artist from Bondi Beach in Sydney who lives
with Autism. His joyous pictures are reminiscent of Egyptian hieroglyphs
that reflect an immediately infectious zest for life. His works have been
exhibited this year at Sydney College Art Exhibition, the Botany Bay Art
Prize and he was Highly Commended at the Waverley Youth Art Award.

                                                    for we are young and free 45
jinari mountain
victoria

                                                                                              I am aware
                                                                                              of the
                                                                                              importance
                                                                                              of modern
                                                                                              Australians
                                                                              coming to terms with the
                                                                              ancient Aboriginal cultural
                                                                              heritage and stories of this
                                                                              country. This is not to say
                                                                              we take these stories as
                                                                              our own, but rather that
                                                                              they may help us better
                                                                              understand our landscape;
                                                                              and through this we may
                                                                              begin to birth a substantial
                                                                              reconciliation between
                                                                              multiple cultures and the
                                                                              landscape. Reconciliation
                                                                              is a relatively young
                                                                              concept; perhaps as a
                                                                              theory and a practice it is
                                                                              even still in uetero, with
                                                                              many of its’ characteristics
                                                                              yet unknown. In our
Enter the Wallaby                                                             favour is our freedom as
Acrylic on canvas, 91 x 91cm, 2012                                            a young, multicultural,
$2000
                                                                              and democratic country,
                                                                              able to draw upon a great
                                                                              variety of knowledge and
Jinari was born in Australia in 1975; a time of local political upheaval,     resources in order to
rock music, post-war bitterness, hippy-love, the dawn of the                  create the path together.
technological revolution and the globalisation of market economies            We are freer than the
and culture. This milieu left an indelible imprint that continues to          countries many of us have
influence her. Jinari follows a strong line of self-taught women artists in   come from, whom are
her family. While she has no formal tertiary training in art, she studied     more constrained by old
photography in Secondary College and won several state prizes. She            traditions and hierarchies.
then attained a BA, and a BSc at Monash University, and a Diploma in          This raises the possibility
Holistic Counselling at Phoenix Institute. Jinari has sold and exhibited
                                                                              of us being able to bear
her works internationally and has worked with public and private clients
                                                                              responsibilities to the
in art therapy and community arts. Her symbolic and figurative works
explore how myth, story and cultural practice influences how human
                                                                              environment and each
beings relate to each other and the surrounding environment.                  other in a way that could
                                                                              be an example to the
                                                                              world.

46 for we are young and free
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