Blak Women's Healing

Date

Wed 23 Apr - Sat 17 May

Venue

Arts House
521 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051

Immerse yourself in an expansive space of healing, resistance and sovereignty through creative and cultural expression.
Visual Art
Conversation
Workshop
Free

Blak Women's Healing is a whole-building takeover of Arts House, amplifying the voices and lived experiences of Aboriginal women and transforming the venue into a powerful space of resistance, healing, and cultural sovereignty.

Curated by Dr Paola Balla, Blak Women’s Healing explores the expressed and lived experiences of trauma, as well as self-determined desires for justice, peace and wellbeing for Aboriginal women, their children, families and communities.

Unfolding over 4 weeks across multiple spaces at Arts House, visitors will immerse in an exhibition of visual, oral, text-based and material culture made by Aboriginal women, together with an in-depth public program.

The centrepiece will be Balla’s 2021 work Murrup (ghost) Weaving in Rosie Kuka Lar (Grandmother’s Camp), a mixed-media installation and space hosting a suite of communal gatherings including yarning circles, artist talks, live-weaving, workshops and more.

Informed by ongoing community research, healing arts practices and cultural collaboration, Blak Women’s Healing platforms ongoing injustices alongside a space of unconditional Blak love, softness and respite.

Performance Details

Venue

Arts House

521 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051


Dates & Times

Wed 23 Apr – Sat 17 May Exhibition hours: Mon to Fri 10:30am–4:30pm Sat 11am–4pm Closed Sundays and Public Holidays


Tickets

Free, no booking required ACCESSIBILITY ENQUIRIES Venue Phone: (03) 9322 3720 Venue Email: artshouse@melbourne.vic.gov.au

Photography

,

Artist Information

Curator

Dr Paola Balla (she/her), Wemba-Wemba/Gunditjmara


Artist

Aunty Margie Tang (Wemba-Wemba/Gunditjmara Elder)


Artist

Aunty Donna Mitchel (Wemba-Wemba/Gunditjmara Elder)


Artist

Aunty Denise Morgan (Yorta Yorta Elder)


Artist

Dr Kath Travis (Arrente/Boandik)


Artists

Blak community women of the western suburbs


Blak Women’s Healing Ongoing Project Collaborator

The Creative Research Collective at Moondani Balluk


Blak Women’s Healing Ongoing Project Collaborator

Karen Jackson


Blak Women’s Healing Ongoing Project Collaborator

Kath Travis


Blak Women’s Healing Ongoing Project Collaborator

Angela Parades


Blak Women’s Healing Ongoing Project Collaborator

Dr Roshani Jayawardana


Blak Women’s Healing Ongoing Project Collaborator

Dr Amy Quayle


Photography

Tiffany Garvie


Artist Bio

Dr Paola Balla Dr Paola Balla is a visual artist, curator, speaker, academic and writer. She is a Wemba-Wemba and Gunditjmara woman based at Moondani Balluk Indigenous Academic Centre, Victoria University where she works in Blak community research and teaches The Politics of Aboriginal Art and Indigenous units in the Master of Teaching program. Paola is also Director of Teaching and Learning at Moondani Balluk. Her visual and curatorial practice is focused on Blak women’s resistance, sovereignty, self-determination and healing practices.

Blak Women's Healing is a whole-building takeover of Arts House. Move around the venue's spaces to view and engage with the different artworks and program offerings.

  • Relaxed Event

    Relaxed Event

  • Sensory Space Available

  • Wheelchair Accessible

    Wheelchair Accessible

  • Assistance Animal

Presented by Arts House and YIRRAMBOI in collaboration with Moondani Balluk Creative Research Collective

Partners