Wulgurukaba & Bindal Country (Townsville),Gudjal Country (Charters Towers)
Both Ways: WRONG WAY GO BLACK
Libby Harward
'A billboard exhibition illuminating First Nations perspectives of 'place' in North Queensland.'
Using the ubiquitous and popular mode of commuter advertising, the billboard, this exhibition illuminates First Nations stories of the lands traversed between Warrgamay, Nywaigi & Bandjin Country (Hinchinbrook) through Wulgurukaba and Bindal Country (Townsville) to Gudjal Country (Charters Towers). Both Ways brings together contemporary artwork and archival images to explore the larger narratives of Indigenous Australia, highlighting histories and voices that are often unheard in popular forums in North Queensland.
Artist Statement:
“WRONG WAY GO BLACK” belongs in a suite of works that sit under the “ALREADY OCCUPIED” series. “Already Occupied” is an ongoing contemporary art project that explores Aboriginal sovereignty through the use of everyday signage–such as those used for traffic control. In the “ALREADY OCCUPIED” series I combine designs, logo’s, signage, and tools of construction alongside ephemeral site-specific works and live performances. The project employs humour, language and materiality to spark conversations about Country
“ALREADY OCCUPIED” re-codes signs of construction/destruction and “safety” to privilege an Aboriginal frame of reference using hi-vis to reveal a language which has always occupied this continent.
The claim that a site is “ALREADY OCCUPIED” talks back to the myth of Terra Nullius – the lie that still prevails today - that enabled James Cook, in 1770 to claim our country for the British Crown because it was an empty land – a land belonging to no one.
Feature Image Credit: "WRONG WAY GO BLACK”, © Libby Harward.
About the Artist
Libby Harward
Language Group: Ngugi
Country: Mulgumpin (Moreton Island)
A descendant of the Ngugi people of Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) in the Quandamooka, Libby Harward creates artworks that break through the colonial overlay to connect with the cultural landscape, which always was, and remains to be there. Her political practice, in a range of genres, continues this decolonising process. Libby describes her practise as a process of simultaneously listening, calling out to, knowing and understanding Country.
Her arts practice spans over 20 years, initially as a community, street and graffiti artist. During the past 5 years her focus has been on developing a conceptual arts practice, resulting in regular invitations to exhibit works nationally.
Major recent works include the ALREADY OCCUPIED series on Yugambeh Country (Gold Coast), and DABIL BUNG (Broken Water) with First Nations along the Bidgee and Barka (Murray-Darling River system).
These works engage a continual process of re-calling – re-hearing – re-mapping – re-contextualising – to de-colonise cultural landscapes, utilising low and high-tech media with elements of sound, image, installation and performance, to engage directly with politically charged ideas of national and international significance.
Event Information
Location Details
This billboard exhibition will feature six billboards, with three along the Bruce Highway from Wulgurukaba and Bindal Country (Townsville) to Warrgamay, Nywaigi & Bandjin Country (Hinchinbrook), and three along the Flinders Highway from Wulgurukaba and Bindal Country (Townsville) to Gudjal Country (Charters Towers).
