CONNECTION @ The LUME Melbourne

19 July 2023

Connection was born from an idea to celebrate First Peoples’ art and music and give back to their artist communities. Within the brushstrokes and melodies of their art and music, this landmark experience tells the story of our country’s rich and enduring cultural history.

Our chief photographer, Lord Murray Schoorman from Peak Hour Images attended the interactive exhibition and captured these exquisite images for us to share with our readers.

Created for THE LUME Melbourne, Connection was developed by Grande Experiences alongside Adam Knight, Professor Wayne Quilliam and a panel of leading Indigenous cultural advisors including Professor Margo Neale, Rhoda Roberts AO and others. It has been produced with the support of both State and Federal Governments and the National Museum of Australia.

Within Connection, over 110 visual and musical artists converge, coalescing into the most expansive tapestry of First Peoples’ art ever assembled. Across nearly 650 paintings, including 85 significant pieces of original art, emerging voices (such as Sarrita King and Konstantina) dance alongside those of master artists (including Emily Kame Kngwarreye and Tommy Watson), who collectively bring songlines from the remotest regions of this land to life.

The significance of Connection lies in three things: the unprecedented involvement of so many First Peoples artists and leaders from across this land, the status of First Peoples’ art as the world’s oldest continuous artistic tradition, and the role art plays in sharing Indigenous history and culture. Through the creative expressions that Connection celebrates, First Peoples have passed down their heritage, traditions, and knowledge systems from generation to generation.
‍
Connection opens its doors wide. It is a platform for First Peoples to share their stories and perspectives, and it invites all Australians to appreciate and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and the significance of their art and music as a living, vibrant, and enduring cultural tradition.

An experience that every Australian can be proud of and learn from – through the lens of Connection our hope is to play a role in fostering reconciliation and promoting positive conversations and unity among all who call this land home.

Every artwork presented in Connection is done so with the heartfelt support of the artists or their families, all of whom receive recognition and royalties for their contribution to this breathtaking experience. Further, artists and musicians directly benefit from the sale of original art and merchandise within the experience.

THE LUME Melbourne is a member of the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia and Connection is presented at THE LUME Melbourne with the engagement and blessing of both Aboriginal Melbourne and Wurundjeri country elders. The experience was opened by Dr Lois Peeler AM – NAIDOC Week’s 2022 Female Elder of the Year.

THE LUME Melbourne will shortly announce details of initiatives supporting the Indigenous Literacy Foundation – a community-led, national charity working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander remote Communities across Australia, and Worawa Aboriginal College – a Victorian boarding school for Indigenous girls, of which Dr Lois Peeler is Executive Director and Principal.