2023 First Nations Art Competition
Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!
2023 marked the second year of the Southern Queensland Landscapes First Nations Art Competiton and saw the University of Southern Queensland partner with SQ Landscapes. The competition aims to give First Nations artists from across the 28 Nations from our region the opportunity to showcase their art, stories, and Culture.
This year's theme was "Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!" and saw over 30 artists from 15 Nations take part.
We believe our First Nations People hold the key to learning how to bring landscapes back into balance with their 40,000 plus years (over 1,600 generations) of stewardship of our lands.
We acknowledge, respect and learn from the First Peoples of the 28 Nations in the Southern Queensland Landscapes area, and further afield. We pay our respects to the Elders, past, present and future, for they hold the memories, traditions, culture, science and knowledge, and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples across our nation.
You can visit the artwork while on show at the University of Southern Queensland Gallery until 2 September 2023 between Tuesday and Friday from 10am to 3pm.
Top of page artwork - 'Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up on Kooma Country II' by Andrew Nelson
2023 Overall Grand Prize Winner
'Mandan' by Robert Manns
"I am a Mandandanji man from Roma in south west Queensland. I am exploring technology, existing and emerging, to express my culture. I am working to express visual Aboriginal art in new and exciting forms using all the tools available to me. I hope others find my artwork to be engaging and provoking."
"Mandandanji people are the fishing net people. The background looks ancient and represents my connection to my country and culture. The fishing net represents my relationship with the Mandandanji people. It is mostly formed but in places it is torn and frayed. I feel that I may need to repair parts of my relationship with my people."
"The sometimes vivid but somewhat traditional colours represent my emotions as I deal with my past and future."
Category First Place, Runner Up, and Highly Commended Recipients
Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up!
The theme of the 2023 First Nations Art Competition is 'Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up!' based upon the 2022 NAIDOC Week theme.
'Get up, Stand up, Show up! calls for stronger measures to recognise, protect and maintain all aspects of First Nations culture and heritage. It's also a call to celebrate the many who have driven and led change in our communities over generations.
The NAIDOC theme 'Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up!' invites the nation to embrace Aboriginal cultural knowledge and understanding of Country as part of Australia's national heritage. For more information on the theme click here
2023 First Nations Art Competition Judges
Uncle Colin Jones
First Nations Artist
"Colin Jones was born in 1947 in Ipswich, Queensland, and is of Kaladoon and Nunuckle tribal descent. Colin’s Aboriginal name is Ko-Ro, which means Brolga wings. As a young boy, Colin learned to paint from his grandfather.
Besides painting, Colin teaches history and culture all over the world. He has taught at University of Honolulu and University of Hilo, Hawaii as well as Germany, France and England. He has also lectured at the UN. Currently, Colin helps troubled youths at Goori house, an addiction treatment centre in Queensland.
Colin’s art has been exhibited in leading galleries in Europe, America, Great Britain and Australia."
Sue McMaster
Owner of Murray's Art and Framing
Sue McMaster is the owner of Toowoomba art supplies and framing store Murray's Art and Framing.
"As an experienced portrait painter, Sue has developed a hyper-real meets pop art style through her explorations of contemporary art, while studying B.Cr.Arts at USQ. Sue has exhibited in group shows over the last 20 years and exhibited at TRAG 2011 & 2014."
Uncle Wayne Fossey
University of Southern Queensland
Uncle Wayne Fossey is an Aboriginal man connected to Yugambeh/Bunjalung and to Central QLD.
As a teacher and administrator in secondary schools across the state, Catholic and private systems Uncle Wayne worked consistently to develop the Arts focus in education. He has formal qualification in education and environmental sciences, and is actively involved in Bunya People’s Aboriginal Corporation and Aboriginal groups.
As Elder in residence at UniSQ he has had the opportunity to engage with a range of students, lecturers and community artists, and has been involved with judging and art instillations.
Artworks featured in this slideshow include: 'Heal The Country' by Jarryd Lawton, 'Wildflowers on Gwamu Country' by Bill Speedy, 'Healing Country - Regeneration' by Michael Connolly, 'Lifeblood' by Peta Richardson, 'Crosshatch Fish' by Tareque Chapman, and Guyumba' by Isabel Natividad.
Indigenous Art Code
Southern Queensland Landscapes is a member of the Indigenous Art Code which is about ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists are given a fair go.
The Indigenous Art Code administers a voluntary industry Code of Conduct (known as The Code), which outlines a set of rules and guidelines that dealers (both Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses) commit to follow to ensure ethical practices and fair treatment of artists.
The Code provides a standard for ethical conduct of dealers of Indigenous visual arts. it also defines clear standards for dealings between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual artists and art dealers to deliver:
- Fair and ethical trade in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual artwork
- Transparency in the process of promoting and selling authentic artwork
- Efficiency and fairness in how disputes are dealt with
To find out more about the Indigenous Art Code click the LEARN MORE button below.