Design Tracks: The next generation

/ Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA

/ Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA / View full image

Design Tracks is a highlight in the QAGOMA Learning calendar. Each year the Gallery works closely with program partners at GILIMBAA to bring together Indigenous Australian artists, designers and leaders in the creative industries to connect with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students.

Now in its fourth year, 2019 will see alumni return with new voices from the performing arts, media, fashion and visual art between 27 – 29 August. Jo-Anne Driessens, one of five lead mentors from Design Tracks 2018 shares her experience of last year’s program.

Read more about the development of the Design Tracks program

In 2018, Design Tracks students gathered again at QAGOMA during July which is a great time of year in Brisbane, the winter months create stunning blue skies, a hype of fitness activity along the Kurilpa boardwalk, the buzz of cars driving on the freeway and occasional waves washing up from the City Cat. With the perfect setting, all dedicated QAGOMA staff and mentors are prepped and equipped to receive the next generation of committed Design Tracks students ready to explore, gather, create and connect towards a unique public art pitch relevant to the Cultural Precinct.

There is a true sense of ‘teen spirit’ and eagerness to understand the challenges that lie ahead over the three day program and an obvious sense of enthusiasm for everyone involved. With five Indigenous mentors assigned to a small group each, it was important to make an immediate bond so the work towards the design challenge was instant. Being one of the five mentors involved it was just as a rewarding experience for myself as it was for the students involved, allowing the conversations to flow more freely as the time passed by throughout the program.

Judy Watson (right) and Elisa Jane Carmichael standing in front of tow row shortly after an artist talk which began Design Tracks 2018 / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA

Judy Watson (right) and Elisa Jane Carmichael standing in front of tow row shortly after an artist talk which began Design Tracks 2018 / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA / View full image

Subscribe to QAGOMA YouTube / Judy Watson, Australia b.1959 / tow row 2016 / Bronze / 193 x 175 x 300cm / Commissioned 2016 to mark the tenth anniversary of the opening of the Gallery of Modern Art. This project has been realised with generous support from the Queensland Government, the Neilson Foundation and Cathryn Mittelheuser, AM, through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art / © Judy Watson

Judy Watson (left) and Elisa Jane Carmichael at the Queensland Museum, Brisbane viewing original fishing nets that were referenced in tow row 2016

Judy Watson (left) and Elisa Jane Carmichael at the Queensland Museum, Brisbane viewing original fishing nets that were referenced in tow row 2016 / View full image

The fact that the Design Tracks program is all about challenging young minds to think out of the box towards their own design concepts, the environment to do this was ideal and there was no shortage of resources. The students were able to experience first-hand public art examples such as Judy Watson tow row, 2016 work that welcomes all foot traffic in, out and around GOMA’s front entrance. The benefit of the tow row work also provided a strong link between QAGOMA and the Queensland Museum as the original fishing net that Watson referenced for the bronze sculpture was presented during the students visit to the back storage areas of the Museum. It was so good to see an Indigenous staff member at each major institution receive all of the student’s. Each Indigenous staff member holds an important role and are able to share not only the story of the collections they are in contact with, but their own story and journey into those roles – which was just as important for a program designed to highlight career opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.

Students from Craigslea State High School came along to mentoring program with custom designed shirts that celebrated the 2018 NAIDOC Theme ‘Because of Her We Can’ with an image of Naomi Myers who is one of the original performers from The Sapphires. Naomi is involved with a medical clinic for aboriginal people in Sydney. She was their inspiration for Naidoc Week, so they made the t-shirts to recognise her. The school presented artist and keynote speaker Tony Albert with one of the shirts / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA

Students from Craigslea State High School came along to mentoring program with custom designed shirts that celebrated the 2018 NAIDOC Theme ‘Because of Her We Can’ with an image of Naomi Myers who is one of the original performers from The Sapphires. Naomi is involved with a medical clinic for aboriginal people in Sydney. She was their inspiration for Naidoc Week, so they made the t-shirts to recognise her. The school presented artist and keynote speaker Tony Albert with one of the shirts / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA / View full image

When the floor talk with Bruce McLean and Tony Albert occurred, I remember standing up the back with a colleague of mine and we both commented on how great it was for the students to experience this moment in time with someone like Albert and at this stage of his career and wondered whether the students might reflect back on to draw on this type of inspiration one day.

Artist Tony Albert in conversation with Bruce McLean, Curator of Indigenous Australian Art / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA

Artist Tony Albert in conversation with Bruce McLean, Curator of Indigenous Australian Art / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA / View full image

Jo-Anne Driessens (lead mentor for Design Tracks 2018 and author of this Blog post) in action at the half-day mentoring program which runs as a large scale program within the three day residency program / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA

Jo-Anne Driessens (lead mentor for Design Tracks 2018 and author of this Blog post) in action at the half-day mentoring program which runs as a large scale program within the three day residency program / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA / View full image

The icing on the cake was revealed at the end of day three when all mentors and students had to finalise their public art commission and present to an industry panel being the Gilimbaa team who provide ongoing support for the program and are practically an integrated part of the Cultural Precinct based on Grey Street.

A group of Design Tracks 2018 students presenting their final public intervention design to an expert panel / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA

A group of Design Tracks 2018 students presenting their final public intervention design to an expert panel / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA / View full image

The results were impressive and innovative with all students congratulated with detailed feedback provided by the panel which helped the groups understand a final and important layer to completing the challenge. Who knows? Each original mini-model from the groups could very well be archived and possibly accessioned one day to sit amongst the other significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander objects in the collection for many more generations to enjoy.

Jo-Anne Driessens and her group of Design Track students from the 2018 residency / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA

Jo-Anne Driessens and her group of Design Track students from the 2018 residency / Photograph: Chloe Callistemon, © QAGOMA / View full image

Jo-Anne Driessens is Senior Arts and Culture Project Officer, City of Gold Coast

Subscribe to QAGOMA YouTube to go behind-the-scenes / Watch video on Indigenous Australian Art / Read more about your Australian Collection

Related Stories

  •
    Read •

    Georgia Walsh: QAGOMA’s Regional Liaison Officer

    Georgia Walsh — Badtjala woman, artist and QAGOMA’s Regional Liaison Officer — shares something of her artistic practice, working with regional and remote communities, and a philosophy of gratitude, joy, and seizing every opportunity. Describe your work area. As Regional Liaison Officer (a role generously supported by the Neilson Foundation), I’m part of the QAGOMA Learning team. I am privileged to work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities all over Queensland, delivering the Gallery’s annual Design Tracks and Art as Exchange programs. In my own art practice, I am a printmaker and drawer, and my work of late experiments with trace monotype life drawings on gold pigmented paper. I have a modest studio at home where I do most of my making, and though its often shared with a husband working from home or kids joining in the artmaking fun, they provide a welcome bustle to my hustle. What work do you most enjoying doing? Spending time with young artists! I’m so motivated and inspired by the creativity I see in young people. The work I do with youth makes me excited for my two (still very little) children and the change they will bring to the world. I also cherish opportunities to learn about the true history of regional Queensland from some of the amazing and dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge holders. What research do you do? My research relates to my work in the cultural learning space. I am interested in the intersection of western systemic hierarchies and First Nations’ knowledge systems, particularly as it relates to learning and pedagogy. I am passionate about on-the-ground experiences and how these are fundamental in continuing oral histories. How has your practice changed over time? The more exposure I have to other stories and people, the more inspired I am to pursue new ideas. I think like many artists, those formative years of art college or emerging practice were very introspective. I take great joy in the many ways my work life now informs my practice and research, and feel grateful for the opportunities I have not only to view the world through so many perspectives but also to process and explore these through art. Where did you grow up, and how do you think this has influenced your practice? I grew up on a property 30 minutes’ drive from the rural town of Inverell, on Gamilaraay Country in northern New South Wales. Affectionately named ‘The Sapphire City’ for its gem-producing river systems, it was a wonderful place to live. I was raised to appreciate and value my close community and witnessed what is possible with the support of a ‘village’. I miss this aspect of upbringing in the city, but it has only made us reach for larger networks and lean more on family here in Queensland. My colleagues at QAGOMA and the Cultural Centre are part of this network and I see the intertwined nature of my work and life as an extension of my original ‘village’. I have a first-hand understanding of regional barriers to opportunities, which inspired me to seize them all without hesitation when I moved to Brisbane in 2011. Without this awareness, I would not be where I am today. My career has taken very organic turns that always point to regional communities, intentionally or not, and I am excited to discover how I’ll continue to move towards them in the future. This text is adapted from an essay first published in QAGOMA’s Members’ magazine, Artlines. Featured image: Georgia Walsh (Badtjala people), QAGOMA Regional Liaison Officer at Art As Exchange, Koa Country, Winton, October 2022 / Photograph: J Ruckli
  •
    Read •

    Karakeni Nani: Creating spaces for learning

    The phrase ‘Karakeni Nani’ comes from the Nasioi language spoken in the Kieta district of the province of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. ‘Kara’ means to talk while ‘Keni’ refers to binding a person, animal or object of value with rope. ‘Nani’ is the important role of female speakers and their perspectives. Together, ‘Karakeni Nani’ describes an agreed meeting place where matrilineal leaders lead conversations around a shared vision that brings people together through the acts of sharing, listening and talking. Past exhibitions such as ‘No. 1 Neighbour’ and ‘APT9’ have provided QAGOMA Learning with contexts to directly engage with Pasifika students and create a space at the Gallery where they can connect with their cultures. ‘APT10’ and ACAPA’s Community Engagement (ACE) Project was a distinct opportunity to work closely with Pasifika community to design onsite programming for young people. In early 2022, QAGOMA Learning with the support of the Pacific Art curatorial team, reached out to the Pasifika Women’s Alliance (PWA) with an idea to build on their previous involvement in ACE, which focused on engaging Pasifika families in intergenerational learning spaces. Together with PWA, we were able to develop a program where students could engage with art, culture and story. 35 female Pasifika students from Bellbird Park State Secondary College, Earnshaw State College and Mabel Park State High School were invited to take part in a full-day program at GOMA. Together with PWA and Ruth McDougall, Curator, Pacific Art, we explored works by Pasifika artists in ‘APT10’ including the Seleka International Art Society Initiative, ‘Air Canoe’ and ‘Uramat Mugas’, before taking part in two workshops facilitated by PWA: mwar mwar (flower crown) weaving with Inca Chow and tok stori (spoken word) with Vanessa Gordon. After the program, we asked the participants, as well as their teachers and PWA to reflect on the experience and share with us what it meant to connect young Pasifika people with art and ideas. Art objects are a powerful expression of culture and identity that carry the stories of their makers far from home. It is a meaningful experience for young Pasifika students to see their cultures represented on the walls of GOMA. Vaoafi Hart, PWA Secretary, explained, ‘The Gallery, in showcasing the diversity of the Pasifika region, is a place where young kids can gain an appreciation of not only their own culture, but also that of their friends and neighbouring cultures.’ For many, this was their first time visiting a gallery and the program motivated them to want to know more about art and culture. ‘I liked everything about today and how we experienced and learnt about other cultures besides our own’, reflected one of the students. But it is also about people. One of the students shared: ‘This program was really fun. I met other women who look like me from the Pacific. I can’t wait for the next one!’. ‘Being able to see people who look like us, talk like us, and feel the same way as us is really important,’ explained PWA President, Iree Chow, ‘It’s all to do with having a sense of identity and being able to feel connected with the places we are from.’ Part of developing that sense of identity is making space for conversation with Elders, where young people who belong to diaspora communities can ask the question, ‘Where am I from?’. Those conversations prompted students to find out more about their own family stories and backgrounds. Wally Ropati, Community Liaison Officer, Bellbird Park State Secondary College noted that ‘to be able to listen, learn, make something and have a conversation about who they are and what their culture means to them was very inspiring.’ We can build our knowledge and understanding of the importance of spaces for cultural learning by working in close collaboration with community and embracing opportunities for shared experiences. Through our ongoing relationship with PWA, we hope to provide more opportunities for young Pasifika people to see the Gallery as a place of connection. Rebecca Smith is Program Officer, Education and Curriculum Programs, QAGOMA
Loading...