Hours of operation

Polyphonic Reverb

Curated by Mark Feary

Installation view of Polyphonic Reverb curated by Mark Feary, featuring work by Graham Fletcher and Yurial Eric Bridgeman, presented at Gertrude Contemporary 2022. Photo: Christian Capurro.
Installation view of Polyphonic Reverb curated by Mark Feary, featuring work by Graham Fletcher and Yurial Eric Bridgeman, presented at Gertrude Contemporary 2022. Photo: Christian Capurro.

18 June -
14 August 2022

Gertrude Contemporary

21-31 High Street, Preston South

Polyphonic Reverb brings into focus practices based in Australia and Aotearoa with connections to, histories in, and ongoing resonances of the near Pacific, with emphasis on Polynesia and Melanesia. The project forms as an interconnected tapestry of new and recent projects that draw attention to Australia’s most proximous geographical region. The exhibition focuses on voices that reflect diasporic and migratory influence of the Pacific, and how, in turn, their embodied identities may be in part disembodied through distance and dislocation. Of particular note are complexities of exchange and power, and the collision and convergence of specific cultural traditions with dominating western influences.
 
Of centrality to Polyphonic Reverb are the crosscurrents of cultural, political and social impacts and influence occurring and evolving over generations to consider the echoes of cultural belonging, embodiment and knowledge transference in connection with places afar. On a continent such as Australia, so often regarded as geographically distant as to consider itself antipodean, how does it consider its own peripheralised nation neighbours, beyond the extraction of their resources, as sites for extraterritorial detention, or as strategically advantageous military and security positions. Polyphonic Reverb brings together works by a selection of leading artists based in Australia and Aotearoa to reflect the near Pacific, manifesting dialogue on cultural interchange, hybridity, responsibility, custodianship and colonial legacies. 

Download the roomsheet here

Artists

  • Yuriyal Eric Bridgeman
  • Stevie Fieldsend
  • Graham Fletcher
  • Brian Fuata
  • Tamsen Hopkinson
  • Greg Semu
  • Angela Tiatia
Public Program
Installation view of Polyphonic Reverb curated by Mark Feary, featuring work by Angela Tiatia presented at Gertrude Contemporary 2022. Photo: Christian Capurro.

Oceanic Flow: Polyphonic Reverb Panel Discussion

Panel discussionSaturday 13 August, 5amGertrude Contemporary

On the closing weekend of Polyphonic Reverb a panel of artists and researchers will discuss the exhibition's themes. Join us at Gertrude Contemporary for a dialogue between Lisa Hilli, Tamsen Hopkinson and Francis Sione. The discussion will be convened by curator Mark Feary.

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Brian Fuata, 'similar to (smile & smile) not dissimilar (2022),' documentation of the satellite performance at Gertrude Contemporary during install of Polyphonic Reverb, presented at part of the exhibition 'Person, woman, man, camera, TV.' at Blindside and 99% 2022. Photo: Matthew Harris.

Auto-audience (2022) by Brian Fuata

PerformanceSunday 19 June, 4amGertrude Contemporary

Auto-audience (2022) by Brian Fuata will be performed at Gertrude Contemporary on Sunday 19 June at 2pm presented as part of Polyphonic Reverb.

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Image credit: Brian Fuata, similar to (smile & smile) not dissimilar, 2022. Courtesy the artist.

Person, woman, man, camera, TV. presents a series of five performances by Brian Fuata

PerformanceThursday 16 June, 6amGertrude Contemporary

Person, woman, man, camera, TV. presents a series of five performances, similar to (smile & smile) not dissimilar (2022), across several gallery spaces, Blindside and 99%, by Brian Fuata. On Thursday 16 June at 4pm, Fuata will give a satellite performance at Gertrude Contemporary, during install of Polyphonic Reverb.

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Gertrude Contemporary

Wurundjeri Country
21-31 High Street
Preston South VIC
Melbourne, Australia

Opening hours:
Tuesday–Sunday 11am–5pm

Gertrude Glasshouse

Wurundjeri Country
44 Glasshouse Road
Collingwood VIC
Melbourne, Australia

Opening hours:
Thursday–Saturday 12–5pm