a chinwag with the national indigenous art fair curator
Miah Madden – this year’s National Indigenous Art Fair curator – sits down with us in the lead up to the event.
Taking place in Syndey/Warrane on July 5th and 6th, the National Indigenous Art Fair (NIAF) is perhaps the perfect start to this year’s NAIDOC Week. The fair boasts a hub of creative types from all across the country – more than 30 remote art centres and almost 100 First Nations artists displaying their work to over 10,000 visitors – creating a welcoming space for art-lovers to peruse, purchase and admire. We caught up with curator (and talented actor) Miah Madden ahead of the event to discuss her role and the kinds of things she’s contemplating when it comes to curating such a ripper event.
Not only are you a curator at this year’s National Indigenous Art Fair, but you’re also providing creative production. What drew you to wanting to be part of the event? I had come on board as curator for last year’s Art Fair and was astounded at the impact that the fair has on the art centres. To be able to connect the work of their artists with the Sydney/Warrane marketplace is a great opportunity for any artist, whilst it also shares the stories of each community from which the work originates from. It was a no-brainer to come back on board for a second year, and being able to provide creative production has allowed me to view the process of planning and organising the logistics of the event from a whole new lens. To be part of something which increases accessibility for Indigenous artists from remote areas of the country is invaluable.
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Tell us a little bit about designing the professional development program and why it is an important part of the fair. Professional development before an event such as the National Indigenous Art Fair is a great opportunity to expose artists to resources and tools that they may not have access to in their community. We have focused the professional development around providing workshops for artists in areas including ceramics, screen-printing, drypoint etching and curatorship, to name a few. By providing artists with this expertise, they are able to take these new skills back to community and share their knowledge with other artists, some who would have never had an opportunity to learn such techniques first-hand. Aside from workshops, visiting iconic galleries such as the Art Gallery of NSW are often bucket-list experiences for many emerging artists who have never visited the city before or personally seen their works in an exhibition.
What kinds of things are you taking into consideration when curating a space? I think the most important element to consider is the stories that are inherent within each piece of Indigenous art. Most pieces speak for themselves, reflecting the cultural and historical lineage of each artist. I find it easiest to gather all considered works and decide which pieces can cohesively tell a unified story when shown alongside each other, whilst letting each artwork shine individually.
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You also curated Threads: Lore & Lineage at the Australian Design Centre (ADC). How does your work on this exhibition intersect with the work you’re doing for the NIAF? All of the art centres featured in Threads are participating at NIAF this year, so it was a great opportunity to showcase some object-based works in a gallery setting. This year, we are featuring beautiful works from APY Art Centre Collective, Bábbarra Designs, Bula’bula Arts, Engawala Art Centre, Injalak Arts, Maningrida Arts and Culture, Numbulwar Numburindi Arts and Walkatjara Arts. These works include beautiful screen-printed fabrics, woven fishnets and dilly bags, ceramics, carvings, plus many more. The works come together so cohesively in the gallery space at the ADC despite them travelling far and wide across the country to get to Sydney. Threads aims to honour the artists as custodians of their heritage, and theirs works are a unique expression of Country and kinship. Each piece featured is a conversation between past and present, a celebration of resilience, and an invitation to connect with the stories that shape this land.
Are there any pieces that you’d recommend to keep an eye out for at the fair? My favourite pieces have to be the gorgeous ironwood bird carvings from Jilamara Arts. They are an absolute stand out and I loved featuring them in multiple exhibitions last year. More broadly, I would say to keep an eye out for any retail pieces you could use to elevate your home – for example, the beautiful woven lampshades from Gapuwiyak Culture & Arts or the woven mats from Bula’bula (which can be hung on your walls). There are so many versatile pieces and something for everyone!
If you're in the area, make sure to check out the rad work at the National Indigenous Art Fair on July 5th and 6th.