Title

Democracy. Six Canberra artists, six takes on the subject of democracy.

Venues

ANU School Of Art Gallery (7 May 2011 – 28 May 2011)

Date

(2011)

Summary

Multi-artist exhibition. Located; Australia (ACT).

Country of context

Australia

Abstract

Six Canberra artists, six takes on the subject of democracy.

Everyone knows democracy is government of the people, by the people, for the people. It is almost 2500 years since this was first spelt out by the Ancient Athenian statesman Pericles, but his citizens were Athens-born males only. Women did not participate and nor did the slaves on whom the economy depended.

But before we get indignant we need to remember that the USA had a civil war over slavery about 150 years ago, that “European” women in Australia have only had the right to vote for about 100 years, and that the right to vote was given to Australian Aboriginal people less than 50 years ago. Liberty moves at an achingly slow pace.

Who exercises power in our democracy? Who among the world’s population should our citizens be? What voice do the many minorities in our community have? These are some of the issues examined by Graham Eadie, Fatima Killeen, Waratah Lahy, Oscar Del Pozo, Gary Smith and Frank Thirion. These artists are all graduates of the Painting Workshop at the Australian National University School of Art. [Gallery blurb]