Response and Responsibility: First Nations Performance and Public Collections, In Conversation with Juanita Kelly-Mundine

Abstract

The following presents a discussion between two Australian First Nation creatives working closely with collections at public art institutions in Sydney, Australia. Juanita Kelly-Mundine is a West Bundjalung and Yuin Woman and First Nations Collections Coordinator at the National Museum of Australia (former Aboriginal and Torress Strait Islander Art Conservator at the Art Gallery of New South Wales). Tammi Gissell is a Muruwari and Wiradjuri Woman and Collections Coordinator, First Nations at The Powerhouse Museum (PHM).

Together, they reflect upon the nature of institutional memory, highlighting the significance of performance-based critical encounters with collections amid current political, social and sector sentiments of truth-telling. They discuss growing strides toward safeguarding Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) rights across the broader arts and culture sector and how this also informs intangible cultural heritages that are simultaneously embodied and shared.

Juanita and Tammi also reflect on the production and presentation of performance works in public gallery spaces and navigating the accountabilities of contemporary arts practice, institutional employment and Indigeneity, which must always be in service of Country, community and culture.