Open Cut

Public programs: Artist panel, Saturday 12 August 12 noon; other public programs tba. An exhibition of photographic portraits by Therese Ritchie forms the core of the exhibition, supported by paintings by Jacky Green. The works overall represent a collection of Garawa voices from Borroloola in the Gulf region of the NT in response to the impact of development and mining in particular on their country. Ritchie’s portraits continue a recent development in her photo-based practice where the body of the subject/sitter is inscribed with text that has been chosen/stated by the sitter; the works are highly collaborative in their construction and in this case facilitated by Jacky Green and Sean Kerins, a Canberra-based anthropol- ogist who has researched and written extensively on the Gulf region and related cultural and economic issues, and who has previously collaborated with Jacky Green to present exhibitions in Melbourne and Canberra. This show is to coincide with the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards exhibition at the Museum and Art Gallery NT, Darwin; part of Darwin Festival program.