Dive deeper into the skeletons exhibition with the associated programs and read more about the archived exhibition below.

This exhibition opens the closet doors to Australia’s skeletons. An invitation to explore an alternative national narrative. Discovering buried evidence within the state’s archives, bringing light to undisclosed happenings, validating the mistruth of terra nullius, subsequent colonial conflicts, and the continuation of Aboriginal resistance.

Judy Watson’s video works are presented alongside her raw, unframed and unstretched textile works that directly reference research from the archives. Artworks are an exploration of controverted histories that provide moments of recognition for First Nation peoples, acknowledging their hardship, resilience, spirit and continued sovereignty.

skeletons is curated by Amanda Hayman of Blaklash, supported by Milani Gallery, and commissioned by Queensland State Archives. Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts and the North Australian Festival of Arts are the presenting partners for the exhibition.

skeletons - Exhibition Catalogue

Public Programs

Judy Watson
Hear directly from Judy as she provides insights into skeletons, including the premiere of: Judy Watson and Otis Carmichael, groundwater, 2024, Single channel video, 11mins 15secs. 
Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts and the North Australian Festival of Arts are commissioning partners for groundwater. Access the artwork details for the other works shown throughout the video in the exhibition catalogue, linked above. 

skeletons | In Conversation
This discussion was presented 10am Saturday 14 September 2024. Umbrella's Director Kate O'Hara facilitated the discussion, drawing on the expertise of exhibiting artist Judy Watson and Blaklash Director Troy Casey (who provided curatorial insights on behalf of Amanda Hayman of Blaklash, the curator of skeletons). 

Talk with Troy Casey
This enlightening session was presented from 11am Saturday 14 September 2024. Troy spoke about his creative and social impact work across First Nations-led enterprises Blaklash (an Aboriginal design consultancy specialising in Country-centred design and cultural placemaking), Magpie Goose (where fashion and social impact comes together) and Aboriginal Art Co (connecting consumers with authentic and ethically sourced Indigenous art). The work across these businesses spans art, architecture, design and clothing. 

Judy Watson was born in Mundubbera, Queensland in 1959 and is a Waanyi descendant of north-west Queensland. Her ancestry and personal experiences have greatly influenced her artistic practice, which spans a variety of media including painting, printmaking, video, sculpture and installation. She often addresses the complex history of colonialism and its impact on Indigenous communities. She explores themes of migration, survival and recovery, seeking to bring awareness and understanding to these issues. Her work is a powerful means of storytelling and a form of cultural preservation. Exhibiting extensively since the 1980s, Watson co-represented Australia at the 1997 Venice Biennale and won the Works on Paper Award at the 23rd National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award in 2006. She was also the recipient of the National Gallery of Victoria’s 2006 Clemenger Contemporary Art Award. In 2011, Watson’s exhibition waterline was shown at the Embassy of Australia in Washington DC, and in 2012, she exhibited in the Sydney Biennale. In 2018, the Art Gallery of New South Wales staged a major exhibition of her work titled the edge of memory. Watson has also received commissions for several public art projects across Australia, including fire and water at Reconciliation Place in Canberra in 2007, ngarunga nangama: calm water dream at 200 George St in Sydney in 2016, and in the same year, tow row for the Gallery of Modern Art’s 10th Anniversary in Brisbane. mudunama kundana wandaraba jarribirri, a significant survey of Judy Watson’s practice, opened in 2024 at Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. Her work is also included in several significant Australian and international collections, including all of Australia’s state institutions, the National Gallery of Australia, the Tokyo National University of Technology, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, the British Museum, and MCA/ TATE. Watson is an Adjunct Professor at Griffith University, and in 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Art History by the University of Queensland.

Above: Judy Watson. Courtesy the artist and Milani Gallery, Brisbane. 

Troy Casey is a proud Aboriginal man from Kamilaroi Country and the Managing Director of Blaklash, an Aboriginal design consultancy specialising in Country-centred design and cultural placemaking. His dedication to community development sets a benchmark for community engagement and social innovation, emphasising the critical role design plays in creating positive social change by leveraging economic opportunities within the built environment. By integrating traditional knowledge and contemporary design principles, Troy plays a pivotal role in collaborating with communities to ensure their voices are embedded across all phases of the project.

Above: Troy Casey and Amanda Hayman of Blaklash, photograph supplied courtesy of Troy Casey.