Exhibitions -

Sydney Exhibition

Acute Actions: Responses To I Am Not A Virus is a two-part exhibition that presents the work of twelve artists commissioned through Diversity Arts Australia’s I Am Not A Virusinitiative. This selection represents a range of artistic practices and conceptual reflections; these include acts of processing and healing from the trauma of racial prejudice experienced by Asian people. Through ceramics, photography, performance, music, craft, and storytelling, these artists have wrestled with racial prejudice and reframed multiculturalism to reflect this new lived experience. This exhibition series is presented by 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art and Diversity Arts Australia, as part of the I Am Not A Virus project. Supported by Australia Council, Create NSW, Creative Victoria, City of Sydney, City of Parramatta and Inner West Council.

Curators: Con Gerakaris and Reina Takeuchi
Curatorial Assistant: Dylan Goh
Producer (DARTS): Kevin Bathman

Photos by Kai Wasikowski, courtesy of 4A Centre of Contemporary Asian Art

Melbourne Exhibition

Reclaiming Narratives: Melbourne artists respond to I Am Not A Virus highlights and focuses on the voice of Asian-Australian artists affected by the racism unleashed by the pandemic era from a Melbourne perspective. The project responds to the increase in racist attacks including verbal threats, physical intimidation, denial of services, workplace discrimination and being coughed and spat upon since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Executive Producer: Lena Nahlous
Curators: Wilson Yeung Chun Wai and Kevin Bathman
Arts Administrative Coordinator: Katherine Lee
Exhibitions & Events Coordinator: Jan Wing Ting Sze
Project support: Ava Dong, Helen Chung, Jahan Rezakhanlou-Taubman and Mara Braun
Exhibition design: Tiger Yuanlong Zheng
Advisory support: Dr Tammy Wong Hulbert (RMIT) and Kelly Yoon

The Melbourne project is an initiative of Diversity Arts Australia in partnership with the Asian Australian Alliance, Democracy in Colour and 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art with financial support from the Australia Council for the Arts, Creative Victoria, Create NSW, City of Sydney, City of Parramatta and Inner West Council.

Project supporters from Melbourne include RMIT Curatorial Collective, Fringe Festival, Creative Brimbank, Melbourne Fringe Festival, RMIT Contemporary Art and Social Transformation (CAST) research group, RMIT INTERSECT, and RMIT Student Life.

This exhibition was also curated as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival 2021 from 30 September to 17 October 2021.