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Through artists, ideas and cultural exchange, 'A Radical Art History' explores forty years of contemporary arts practice in North Queensland and beyond. Rather than presenting a conventional institutional history, an interactive digital archive and exhibition document Umbrella’s contribution to contemporary art. Through a thematic and relational approach, the archive foregrounds artists, ideas, cultural exchange, critical discourse, experimentation and advocacy, recognising that Umbrella’s history is not a single narrative but a network of interconnected stories.Organised through four interconnected themes: Lines of Inquiry, Sovereign Presence, The Constellation and No Fixed Centre, visitors are invited to navigate exhibitions, performances, commissions, publications and partnerships across time, uncovering unexpected connections between people, places and ideas. The exhibition outcome will feature objects from the physical archive, including photographic slides and conference papers, alongside a re-staged ephemeral artwork from Umbrella’s early exhibition program.
More than a historical record, the archives are a living resource that reflects the complexity of regional practice and the enduring influence of artists in shaping cultural life. They invite audiences to revisit familiar histories, discover overlooked stories and explore the relationships that continue to inform contemporary practice today. The archives reveals how an artist-led initiative evolved into an internationally connected platform for experimentation, critical dialogue and regional leadership.
Read more and visit the archive: www.umbrella.org.au/a-radical-art-history
Produced by Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts in partnership with James Cook University, this project was made possible through the Beyond the Studio: 40 Years of Umbrella fundraising campaign, supported by Bamford Community Care, Mitsubishi Electric through Capricorn Air Conditioning, the Creative Australia Plus1 Program, and the generosity of individual donors who helped begin digitising one of regional Australia's most significant contemporary art archives. | Umbrella gratefully acknowledges Johanna Wiggers, Lead Researcher, whose scholarship and dedication made this archive possible and the Townsville Citylibraries for their support.
Image: Kim Mahood, 'Trapped Horse', Resurfaced 1991 photographic slide of sculpture in storage at Umbrella prior to Umbrella's Outlying and Far-reaching touring exhibition. Photographer: Unknown.
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408 Flinders Street, Townsville, QLD, Australia, Queensland 4810
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