Colony – Frontier Wars: NGV Australia

Michael Cook, Yhonnie Scarce

15 Mar - 2 Sep 2018

Works by Yhonnie Scarce and Michael Cook are featured in Colony: Frontier Wars at NGV Australia, Federation Square.

The exhibition explores the period of colonisation in Australia from 1788 onwards and its often devastating effects on First Peoples. The period, that to many, was the discovery of a ‘wondrous’ southern continent, was to others an invasion of homelands occupied for many millennia. This powerful exhibition reveals some of what Aboriginal people have experienced as a continuing consequence of colonisation, through works of art.

By bringing together different understandings of Australia’s shared history, this exhibition also offers a pathway towards recognition. Australia’s shared history is explored through the works of many Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists of consequence and features key works from the NGV Collection as well as significant loans. It is presented concurrently with Colony: Australia 1770–1861, which offers a parallel experience of the colonisation of Australia.