Leadership, partnership, truth-telling at the heart of art show

A new exhibition at the Bendigo Visitor Centre’s Djaa Djuwima gallery brings together artworks and cultural objects from 18 health, education and community organisations across Victoria, alongside works from the La Trobe Art Institute collection.

Professor Jane Mills, La Trobe Rural Health School Dean and Pro Vice-Chancellor Health Innovation (Regional), said the exhibition – Billabongs Not Silos: Beyond Symbolism – reflects the University’s commitment to Indigenous leadership, partnership and truth-telling.

“(It) invites us to reflect on what it means to hold Indigenous cultural materials and the responsibilities that come along with it,” she said.

“This exhibition encourages organisations to move beyond symbolic representation and consider how Indigenous knowledge, relationships and leadership are genuinely embedded within their practices and systems.”

Djaa Djuwima curator and arts officer (first nations) Michellie Charvat said Beyond Symbolism provides a powerful message.

“This exhibition shows that these objects are not just still displays or symbols kept in institutions,” she said.

“It encourages organisations to work together instead of in separate silos and to see these objects as part of shared learning, respect and ongoing care.

“At the centre of the exhibition is the idea of a modern billabong.

“Like a meeting place, it is a space where stories, knowledge and responsibility are shared.

“It helps build stronger relationships between organisations and First Nations communities.”

Running until Monday 21 September, the exhibition forms part of La Trobe’s broader Billabongs Not Silos initiative, which is hoped to strengthen connections between health, education, culture and community through Indigenous leadership and collaboration.