East Coast Encounter

Overview

We can't know exactly what every moment in history was really like, but we can imagine. Take the events of 1770 that shaped Australia, for example. Sure, there are plenty of accounts of the first interactions between James Cook and the nation's Aboriginal population; but what was it really like?

In a project developed by the University of the Sunshine Coast, East Coast Encounter aims to dive deeper into this chapter of the past. More than 40 pieces by 16 creatives contribute a variety of takes on the significant occasion every Australian learns about in school, courtesy of the work of Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, writers and songwriters.

The aim of the exhibition is to bring different perspectives and ponderings together, reflecting upon and recreating the moment that two worlds started to combine. Sounds like plenty to view and contemplate, with East Coast Encounter showing at the Caboolture Regional Art Gallery until January 21, 2017.

Image: Gail Mabo, Constellation (2014), Monoprint on paper, 59.5 x 89.5cm. Courtesy of Monsoon Press for Umbrella studio.