Geelong’s Old Courthouse Building will become a site of celebration this weekend as Platform Arts launches a sitewide First Nations art show.
Two exhibitions, Keepers of the Flame and YOOKAPA – it burns for us, will enact a creative “venue takeover” of the building from the special opening celebration on Saturday, August 26 till Friday, September 22.
Keepers of the Flame is the first major presentation of works by Wurri-Ki Art founders Norm Jurrawaa Stanley and Nikki McKenzie, First Nations individuals, partners and collaborators whose work centres on community and connection.
YOOKAPA is a First Nations-led program created and facilitated by local artist and curator Tarryn Love and supported by Platform Arts, and YOOKAPA – it burns for us presents the work of 11 artists engaged in that program.
While Keepers of the Flame will be showing in the building’s spacious ground-floor Gallery One, YOOKAPA – it burns for us will use upstairs space to hang works as well as permeating the rest of the building with murals and decals.
Ms Love said she was “really excited” to launch the First Nations “Blakout of the space”.
“A big part of it is also how we’ve been able to come into this old courthouse and make it our own,” she said.
“This place has context and history, and for a lot of us mob, specific context and history to our families.
“Having those stories there but bringing new ones in and reclaiming this space as our own with Blak excellence, it’s pretty powerful.
“That’s what it means for us. We talk about what fuels our flame and how you carry your own fire.”
Ms Love said it was an honour to share the space with Nikki McKenzie and Norm Jurrawaa Stanley.
“Nikki and Norm do so much in community, so Keepers of the Flame is about how they carry and hold their knowledge and how they pass it on,” she said.
“(That’s) really powerful and I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving than Nikki and Norm to have that space downstairs to celebrate.”
The opening celebration is open to the general public at Platform Arts at 4pm to 6pm on Saturday, August 26.
