PAA X111 Symposium Theme:

From a local perspective, Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islanders’ connection to land, sea and sky has been informed and maintained by cultural knowledge systems since time immemorial. Cultural knowledge systems elsewhere in the Pacific have also been and continue to be informed by concerns about identity, community and environmental issues. Artists are increasingly addressing these pressing concerns – from inherited trauma and broken knowledge lines; to rising sea levels and pollution in our oceans; to the influence of technology and the access to heritage and history; and to the competing values of knowledge, wealth and ownership – in order to make sense of this world and continue to share, express and maintain a sense of belonging and respect for ourselves and others in the past, present and future.

Entering into these complex systems of relating and responsibilities are Australian South Sea Islanders; descendants of thousands of Pacific Islanders, lured, tricked, kidnapped and enslaved to work in sugar farms in Queensland. This hidden history of slavery in Australia is crying out to be heard, acknowledged and healed. Like the experiences of many Indigenous Peoples, these stories are difficult to tell and even more difficult to hear. Embracing these significant histories and creating a space of belonging is integral for acknowledgement and healing to take place.

In museums, in the Pacific and beyond, artists, curators and researchers are working to open up and reactivate their often long-dormant Pacific collections for new audiences though accessible documentation, research, exhibitions, displays and artists’ interventions, thereby making them relevant while at the same time celebrating what Pacific Islanders achieve. We welcome papers in each session that share experiences and recent work on collections, exhibitions and community projects. We hope these papers will allow us to share knowledge of collections, experiences and resources and explore future opportunities for collaboration.

All those concerned with the arts of the Pacific, from anywhere in the world, are invited to come together in Brisbane in 2019 to explore RESILIENCE by sharing artistic production, cultural activities and curatorial practice. We encourage a dynamic dialogue that is innovative, progressive and generates new ideas to challenge our perceptions, as well as to create better understandings about the creative role of Pacific arts in understanding who we are, what we do and how we relate to one another in and around the region.