Page 65 - Tropic Magazine Issue 24

TROPIC • ARTS

Keeping Busy

UMI Arts continues to
provide important support
for local indigenous
artists.

Although UMI Arts closed the
office doors during the COVID-19
pandemic, their work still goes
on. Taking the time to focus on
back-of-house and administrative
duties, the UMI team has also
been busy preparing for new-look
Cultural evolution digital festivals including CIAF
2020.
UMI Arts executive officer
NEW-LOOK FESTIVAL
Peter Lenoy said the centre
The 2020 Cairns Indigenous Art was working with its artists to
Fair is going digital – and the produce works and products
for showcasing on the festival’s
world is invited. online platforms.

Events and festivals around the world
have been forced to adapt to the
uncertainty and restrictions caused by “For 10 days and beyond, CIAF will be a
COVID-19 – and the Cairns Indigenous time in which our communities, friends
Art Fair has risen to the challenge in a and supporters can all experience the
very big way. For the first time, CIAF vibrant and unique arts and culture of
will become a 10-day interactive digital this region.” CIAF’s Artistic Director
festival to showcase Indigenous art to Janina Harding said that CIAF is working
the world via the web. From 14th to 23rd in exactly the same way it has done
August, CIAF 2020 will feature a series in previous years, albeit with a digital
of online presentations, performances, focus, to provide an intimate insight into
webinars, workshops, community country and culture.
spotlights and virtual gallery exhibitions. “The reality of a virtual CIAF 2020 is “Our curator Trish Barnard is
CIAF Chair Tom Mosby said Aboriginal exciting when you consider we will working with a select group of
and Torres Strait Islander artists present to the world, artists from across our artists via online mentoring
from Queensland are recognised for the entire state of Queensland including and over the phone coaching in
communities on North Stradbroke Island producing works for a high-end
in the south, Pormpuraaw in the west exhibition for when we come out
and Erub Island in the east of the Torres of the coronavirus pandemic,” he
Strait,” she said. The official theme music said.
CIAF will be a time in for this year’s celebration was recently “We are still proceeding with
which our communities, released with the song created by local our Blue Chip Freshwater
musicians 3M Pride. With music beat
Saltwater exhibition as we have
friends and supporters can and production support from Joel and 13 artists keen to participate in
all experience the vibrant Naomi Wenitong, The Last Kinection, 3M this year’s Freshwater Saltwater
Pride singers Robbie Sagigi, Joneisha and
and unique arts and Jeff Daniels have together created CIAF’s exhibition to celebrate UMI Arts’
15th anniversary. The theme for
culture of this region. first ever dedicated song, “Hear Me Now” Freshwater Saltwater 2020 is
inspired to reflect this year’s Climate ‘Boundless’ with contemporary art
Tom Mosby Change theme. Ms Harding had nothing that demonstrates the unlimited
CIAF Chair but praise for the talent from 3M Pride boundaries for our artists to
project. “The opportunity to commission express our culture. The exhibition
outstanding works that respect cultural young people here in Cairns to create a presents a great opportunity to
traditions while using imagination to song that will tell CIAF’s 2020 story has show off the diversity of artworks
counter contemporary contexts. “Our been a gift and we hope everyone loves our artist can produce and how
decision to proceed is based on a desire the sound and lyrics as much as we do,” deadly they all are!”
to use digital technology to transform Ms Harding said.
what has been a challenging time into an MORE: umiarts.com.au
opportunity,” Mr Mosby said. MORE: ciaf.com.au

65 • tropicnow.com.au