Past Event

23rd Biennale of Sydney

March 12, 2022 12:00 pm
8 Victoria Rd Parramatta

Biennale

With an almost 40-year legacy as one of Sydney’s leading cultural institutions, we were thrilled to officially usher in a new era of exciting new projects under the NEW ACE, Arts and Cultural Exchange name in 2022.

We invited all to come and celebrate this milestone with us, through the incredible events: rīvus at ACE which took place 4 Mar – June 13, and the FREE Biennale Opening Party on 4th March at ACE!

Open to the public 4 March – 13 June, ACE presented a series of contemporary works by Dharug and International artists as a part of the 23rd Biennale of Sydney, titled rīvus. It marked our historic first time as an official partner of the Biennale of Sydney!

rīvus, investigated the role of rivers, wetlands, and other salt and freshwater ecosystems as dynamic living systems with varying degrees of political agency.

Notable Events

rīvus at ACE – took place 4 Mar-13 Jun, 2022

Voice of the Burramatta 2022 by the Burramatta River, and spoken by cultural practitioner, founder of Dharug Allies for Nura Alliance and the Chairperson of Dharug Strategic Management Group (DSMG) Julie Bukari (Webb). A powerful digital work that explored the sacred energy of the Parramatta River, known as Burramatta (where the eels lie down), where freshwater meets saltwater.

Ngalawan – We Live, We Remain by multidisciplinary artist Leanne Tobin who is of Irish, English and Aboriginal heritage descending from the Buruberong and Wumali clands of the Dharug. This durational work was presented in the Front Room at ACE.

Running of the Eels by Leanne Tobin, a video work that remembered a time of great ceremony and strange migratory patterns. The eels lay down, awaiting a king tide and full moon.

And Balete by Manila-based multidisciplinary artist Leeroy New, famously known for creating Lady Gaga’s “muscle dress” a site-specific work, that used recycled, organic and industrial materials and wrapped around the facade of the ACE building. The form is based on the organic root formations of the iconic Balete tree of Southeast Asia – it was one of the most ambitious temporary public works ever presented in Western Sydney!

Barbershop x Biennale

This 3-week pop-up of ACE’s Barbershop featuring Barber Charles Lomu, braider Lucy Lomu, and program students and alumni. Sydneysiders dropped in on Thursday and Friday evenings 6 to 9 pm, and Saturdays 11 to 2pm, for a fade or braid and enjoyed local artists including Dandana band, and Sweatshop Literacy Movement.

@ice_org_au, 8 Victoria Rd, Parramatta.

Truth Telling Session

ACE invited the people of Sydney to this very special First Nations panel discussion led by Dharug Knowledge Holders and Myall Creek Memorial Committee, participants of the 23rd Biennale of Sydney. The committee have worked over 20 years to establish the Myall Creek Memorial site, raising awareness of the Myall Creek Massacre and to understand the truth of our shared history.

In this session members of the National Committee exchanged stories of frontier conflict and healing with Dharug custodians of the Parramatta area and Western Sydney.

Their one-of-a-kind annual commemoration weekend was held on Saturday the 30th of April 2022, and all were invited to this ongoing program of learning, sharing, and truth-telling.