BOOMERANG PRESENTS: BOOMERANG FESTIVAL + PORTRAITS PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION Hosted by Ben Knight & Jo-Anne Driessens
Hi [Name,fallback=Friend],
On Wednesday November 9, Photo Fox Den in Lismore will come alive with imagery of Bundjalung's Indigenous arts and culture festival: Boomerang.
Hosted and curated by Ben Knight and Jo-Anne Driessens, as part of the Boomerang Presents series, designed to help raise and awareness and funds for Boomerang's survival, some of the country's best photographers have united to present an incredible display of the best shots captured during Boomerang at Bluesfest in April 2016.
In collaboration with Ben and Jo, the generous photographers who have donated their works for this great community event are Natalie Grono, Tao Jones, Kirra Pendergast, Orlando Sydney, and Joseph Meyers.
In addition, Ben and Jo-Anne are taking portraits of some our local region's deadliest Indigenous people, all who do great work in their field and contribute positively to the community, including Boomerang Festival Director Rhoda Roberts AO, Arakwal custodian Delta Kay, artist and curator Djon Mundine OAM, and more. These special portraits will be on display at the event also.
Jo-Anne Driessens said of this event "Documenting community at such significant events such as the Boomerang Festival provides a valuable visual dialogue that can be understood and shared in an International capacity, and more importantly our immediate communities. This type of documenting is second nature to me and I am honoured to be able to provide the power of the image for such an important cause".
The Boomerang Presents Series is about creating more opportunities for Aboriginal Access for non-Indigenous people, to give a platform for shared stories and cultural exchange to work as a community to truly close the gap. Each event uses a different art form to achieve this, be it stories, food, music, and more. This event will use the medium of photography.
"My main aim is to increase a sense of curiosity and get members of the community to find their own journey of discovery through imagery," said Ben. "The photographs will give local people an opportunity to demonstrate their connections to country and why it is important. The land on which everyone walks is sacred in so many ways and we should all celebrate and respect the men, women and children that were here first."
There will be a silent auction on launch night, with all proceeds going to Boomerang Festival. The launch night will also feature live music by Triple J unearthed artist Pat Tierney, who is currently on a massive national tour, plus guests can enjoy complimentary canapes, and drinks generously supplied by Byron Bay Wild Cider and Stone & Wood Brewery.
The exhibition will then run until 20 November, where set prices will be applied, and again all proceeds to Boomerang.
Photo Fox Den is one of the Northern Rivers most exciting new art spaces - dedicated to showcasing photography in general, and specifically local talent.
BOOMERANG PRESENTS:
BOOMERANG FESTIVAL + PORTRAITS PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
Hosted by Ben Knight & Jo-Anne Driessens
LAUNCH PARTY feat. Pat Tierney
Photo Fox Den, Lismore
Wednesday 9 November 2016, 6pm - 8pm
$5 entry - All proceeds go to Boomerang Festival
Exhibition runs from 9 - 20 November
Boomerang Festival, Bundjalung country's very own world-class Indigenous arts & culture festival, is presenting a series of satellite events to raise awareness and funds for its long-term future.
Boomerang Festival launched successfully in 2013 only to be hit with cuts to funding for both arts and Indigenous programming for the east coast of Australia, putting it on indefinite hiatus.
Whilst Boomerang has a temporary home at Bluesfest, it needs upwards of $800,000 to become a stand-alone festival once again, and a minimum of $200,000 each time it presents at Bluesfest.
The ultimate goal for Festival Director Rhoda Roberts AO and Boomerang's principle supporter Peter Noble OAM (Bluesfest) is to make Boomerang Festival the foremost Indigenous arts and culture festival in the world. The ambition is huge, but Peter, Rhoda and their teams believe the time is right and Australia is ready to step out on the world stage and become known as the destination for authentic and quality Indigenous cultural exchanges.
The Northern Rivers and greater community agree, and in a mammoth exercise, a large and diverse group of business and community leaders are uniting with Boomerang and each other, to achieve this goal, together as a community.
The series of fundraising events will be held all over Bundjalung country between September 2016 - April 2017.
A message from Boomerang's principal supporter, Peter Noble OAM (Bluesfest)
About the photographers:
Ben Knight
Benjamin is a Brisbane based photographer passionate about supporting causes through powerful imagery. Benjamin has spent 5 years in the Gulf of Australia working with remote Aboriginal communities. His focus has always been on walking the journey with the people he works with and holding culture as the linchpin to positive change.Ben was chosen to conduct a review of the Queensland Corrective Services Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs putting him face to face with a number of rural and remote communities all over Queensland. Benjamin now spends the majority of his time working on the issues of youth justice with a focus including the voices of young people in the discussion. He incorporates powerful video and imagery to ensure that the decision makers and the community understand the issues from the people that matter.
Jo-Anne was born in 1970 Brisbane-Australia and was adopted by a white Australian family at two weeks old. Her interest in photography began to take shape in the late 1980's and she entered the world of documenting community, which eventually led to her meeting her blood family through the camera lens.Having completed her four year cadetship with the State Library of Queensland in 1999, the training that was offered during the time of traditional darkroom techniques has never been forgotten or taken for granted, the skills today have evolved through the world of digital technology and the results are shared through various projects that are documented and have added to her extensive body of work from every day life, community events and places.Jo-Anne's Indigenous community engagement work has taken various forms throughout official Government positions stemming over 20 years including specific remote community projects associated with Cape York & Torres Strait communities.
After completing a BA in Communications in 1998, Natalie wandered the world before returning to Australia to begin a career in photojournalism. Now a freelance photographer and photo artist, she has collected some of Australia's most prestigious photo awards along her way.Her work explores womanhood, childhood and the rituals and moments that bring people together. Evoking emotion and a sense of magic with her imagery, Natalie's photographs document the beauty of humanity.
Tao Jones is the official Photographer for the Byron Bay Bluesfest. He also shoots as the official photographer for other festivals around Australia such as Tamworth Country Music Festival , Groovin The Moo, and Mullumbimby Music Festival. He is also official arts photographer at Splendour in the Grass festival, as well as shooting local musicians in Byron Bay.Tao's work has appeared in local and national magazines, and he has won photographic contests held by Canon Australia, and the Daily Telegraph. His main influence in photography has been Minor White.
Joseph Meyers is one of the official photographers for Bluesfest, Groovin The Moo, Falls Festival, as well as the photographer for the Matilda's - the Australian Women's Soccer Team, and has the claim to fame of being the only Indigenous Photographer in the village when US President Barack Obama visited in 2011.
Kirra first picked up a camera at 12yrs old. Her photographic passion is music, landscape, portraiture and street photography.
Kirra was born and raised in Byron Bay, but spent 20 years working in the corporate sector in the cities of Australia. She put down her camera whilst raising her son, but when she returned to settle in Lennox Head 8 years ago her passion was reignited when she started photographing the immense power and beauty of the ocean, storms, and the breathtaking landscapes of our region and our wonderful music festivals and events.
Orlando Sydney is a Nature lover, Yogi, Random hugger, and Image Creator. Orlando's photography focus is on Music, Runway, Fashion, Cultural and Arts Events in Surry Hills, Sydney and all over NSW. "Capturing emotions and recording experiences".
Australian roots troubadour Pat Tierney's music nestles somewhere between the inspiring sounds of Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder and Bob Marley. A hint of folk and blues with a splash of reggae roots, intertwined with soulful lap - slide guitar and sweet melodies. ?The recent release of Pat's debut album 'Wild World Blues' in June of last year has seen a hugely successful 18 months unfold for Pat on the back of extensive touring through Australia and New Zealand. Taking his eclectic live performance to the masses and performing alongside the likes of Mat McHugh(The Beautiful Girls), Horrorshow, Bobby Alu & Dustin Thomas.
Pat blends his love of slide guitar with percussive acoustic rhythms, harmonica and percussion to create a sound all his own. ?
Pat has just released his new single 'Spirit Of The Land' and is currently on a massive national tour to celebrate. More information at http://www.boomerangfestival.com.au/
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