Montages: The Full Cut, 1999 – 2015

Blacktown Arts Centre is transforming its gallery space into a cinema to showcase the work of one of Australia’s most influential contemporary artists.

Montages: The Full Cut, 1999 – 2015 presents the eight montage films created by Tracey Moffatt and Gary Hillberg over the course of their 16 year collaboration.

Tracey Moffatt is internationally regarded as one of Australia’s most important contemporary artists and, this year, will become the first Australian Indigenous artist to present a solo exhibition at the Venice Biennale.

Gary Hillberg, a respected experimental filmmaker and music video producer is Moffatt’s long-time collaborator.

Curated and developed by Artspace, Sydney, Montages: The Full Cut, 1999 – 2015 is touring nationally in partnership with Museums & Galleries of NSW through 2019. Blacktown Arts Centre is the first location in NSW to present this exhibition.

“Montages offers a unique opportunity for Western Sydney audiences to engage with the early work of Tracey Moffatt, who will represent Australia at the Venice Biennale later this year,” said Alexie Glass-Cantor, Executive Director, Artspace.

Each montage explores notions of stereotyping in film and popular culture and features samples from an extensive collection of iconic Hollywood films, telemovies and arthouse cinema.

Lip (1999) (punctuated by the soundtrack of Aretha Franklin’s Chain of Fools and Think) displays excerpts of black actresses ‘giving lip’ in subservient roles of maid, servant or slave.

Artist (2000) portrays the clichés of creative genius and the trope of the tormented artist.

The eight films run on a continuous loop for a total of 1 hour and 40 minutes.

They range in length from less than 10 minutes, to more than 20.

Audiences are welcome to relax in the comfy seating provided and watch the entire suite of films, or just pop in for a short time and experience 1 or 2 films.

Local, young Aboriginal people are also invited to explore the works, and gain skills in digital arts and photography in a series of free workshops facilitated by digital artist Troy Russell.

“Young people from Blacktown can benefit immensely from experiencing this exhibition,” said Mr Russell.

“Participants in the workshops will discuss how these, and similar, works relate to their own lives. They will obtain skills in design conceptualisation, digital photography and image manipulation, and will collaborate with other participants to create posters which celebrate concepts of their own  identity.”

The workshops will be held in March and April at Blacktown Arts Centre.

For more information, on the exhibition or workshops contact Blacktown Arts Centre on 9839 6558.

Montages: The Full Cut, 1999 – 2015 was curated and developed by Artspace, Sydney and is touring nationally in partnership with Museums & Galleries of NSW.

KEY DATES
Exhibition | Thursday, 23 February 2017 – Saturday, 22 April 2017
Panel Discussion | 6.30pm – 8pm on Thursday, 20 April 2017
Workshops | 7 and 21 March and 4 and 18 April 2017Image
Tracey Moffatt & Gary Hillberg
Artist (still), 2000 , 10 minutes, looped video, sound
Courtesy the artist, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery and Tyler Rollins Fine Art, New York.