Finalists for major First Nations public artwork at new theatre
- 19 Dec 2022
First Nations artists Megan Cope and Brian Robinson have been shortlisted for a major First Nations public art commission, which will be showcased as part of the new theatre now under construction at the Queensland Cultural Centre.
Both finalists will now produce a concept design working alongside First Nations design consultant Blaklash Creative and public art specialists UAP.
One of these works will be selected as the signature public artwork located in the external entry forecourt to the state’s new theatre at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC). The permanent public art will enhance the new theatre and connect visitors to meaningful arts experiences while elevating First Nations stories and cultures.
An independent selection panel – comprised of First Nations artists and curators, other Indigenous professionals, and representatives with visual arts expertise – shortlisted the two artists following an Expressions of Interest (EOI) process seeking First Nations artists with a cultural connection to Queensland.
The panel will also select the final concept design for this major public work in 2023.
About the finalists
Megan Cope
Photograph by Rhett Hammerston. Image courtesty of the artist and Milani Gallery_Meanjin Brisbane
Megan Cope is a Quandamooka artist known for site-specific sculptural installations, video work and paintings that investigate issues relating to identity, the environment and mapping practices. Megan has completed several public art projects throughout Australia – including the multi award-winning canopy artwork titled ‘After the flood’ with Cox Architecture for James Cook University, Townsville. Through this work, Megan explores themes such as climate, culture, and colonialism and how these elements are interwoven over time. Her highly collaborative art-making processes result in pertinent, visually arresting outcomes that illustrate the interrelatedness of societies and the various ecologies that sustain us.
Brian Robinson
Photograph courtesy of Onespace.
Brian Robinson’s artworks present an intoxicating worldview. Graphic prints, contemporary sculptures and public art read as episodes in an intriguing narrative, revealing the strong tradition of storytelling within his family and his community. Born on Waiben, his ancestral lineage extends back to the Maluyligal people from the Western Islands of Torres Strait and the Wuthathi people from the silicon sand dunes at Shelburne Bay on the eastern side of Cape York Peninsula. Brian is internationally recognised for his printmaking and public sculptures in which he blends ancestral narratives, customs, traditions and abstract imagery to produce bold, innovative and distinctive works. His work has contributed significantly to the built environment of numerous cities across the country through a number of major public art commissions since 1998.