In 1972, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy was established on the parliamentary lawns in Canberra to challenge the status, treatment, and rights of Aboriginal people in Australia. As a direct quotation of this activist strategy of protest, Richard Bell’s own Embassy (2013–) is a public space for imagining and articulating alternate futures and reflecting on or retelling stories of oppression and displacement. In 2015, the IMA co-produced Embassy for Performa 15 in New York, and in July took the work to Cairns in partnership with KickArts Contemporary Arts and the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. On Saturday 24 September we present Embassy in Brisbane at the IMA for a full afternoon of events hosted by Richard Bell. SCHEDULE Saturday 24 September 2pm Embassy panel discussion: Black Power Featuring Richard Bell, Cheryl Buchanan, Dale Ruska, and Sam Watson 3.15pm Embassy panel discussion: Blakademia Featuring Richard Bell, Dr Chris Matthews, Dr Aileen Moreton-Robinson, and Dr Sandra Phillips 4.30pm Embassy panel discussion: Contemporary Resistance Featuring Richard Bell, Merindah Donnelly, and Pekeri Ruska 5.45pm Embassy talk: Leesa Watego wraps up* *Leesa Watego will be live-tweeting during Embassy. Use #AboriginalEmbassy to follow along, and stay up to date with the event via Facebook. With thanks to Milani Gallery, Brisbane, and TweetBeam.
