Who's afraid of Australian artists?
A discussion about the intersection of art and politics in contemporary Australia. Facilitated by Esther Anatolitis, with guest speakers Simon Hunt, Sara Saleh & Alex Seton.
Who's afraid of Australian artists? was a discussion with key artists and thinkers as part of Art Month Sydney 2018.
The intersection of arts and politics is a fraught space: contested and volatile, generative and constructive. So far this year projects like 52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS and the work of the Artists’ Committee, as well as NAVA’s #artsagenda, have positioned artists explicitly as political leaders. Yet while some audiences respond passionately to work that’s provocative, other audiences shirk from environments that they perceive as political.
This participatory discussion questioned:
- What is the role of contemporary art in creating dialogue around politics and our national agenda?
- Are we as a nation afraid to talk about politics and change?
- How can we work together across disciplines to give voice to artists and ideas, and connect with audiences?
Speakers:
- Simon Hunt
- Sara Saleh
- Alex Seton
- Facilitated by Esther Anatolitis, Executive Director of NAVA.
The discussion was held on Wednesday 21 March, at Verge Gallery as part of Art Month Sydney.
Spearkers (L-R): Simon Hunt, Sara Saleh, Alex Seton & Esther Anatolitis. Photography by Campbell Henderson
Photography Campbell Henderson
Photography Campbell Henderson
