EXHIBITION

2024

VENUE

YEAR

Treaty is the new exhibition at the Victorian Indigenous Research Centre gallery within the State Library of Victoria. This exhibition has been curated by Stacie Piper, and “explores an historic collection of items related to the first and only known claim to ‘treaty’ in Australia, the Batman Treaty. It shares diverse perspectives of Victoria’s Aboriginal community, providing a link between history and the path to Treaty today and into the future.”

Studio Peter King and Madeline Critchley collaborated on the exhibition design for Treaty, developing the spatial and graphic identity in response to the curatorial vision for the project. Acknowledging the beautiful photograph ‘Misty Morning on Wurundjeri Country’ by Tiffany Garvie and captivating video and sound design by Benny Clark within this exhibition.

This exhibition presents the historical treaty documents held in the State Library collection, contextualised with contemporary dialogue with Victoria’s First Peoples. Also presented is a large painting by John Wesley Burtt, which depicts the 1835 event at Merri Creek.

The majestic tree in the mid-ground of this painting served as the inspiration for the exhibition design of ‘Treaty’. The tree serves as a gathering place along the Merri Creek, and in this exhibition the tree-like form at the centre of the gallery provides a forum for listening and discussion. Hanging from this tree are blank sheets of paper, referring to the fading historical documents in the showcase nearby, and to the ongoing treaty dialogue occurring in Victoria today.

Client: VIRC | State Library Victoria
Curated by: Stacie Piper
Exhibition Spatial Design: Studio Peter King
Exhibition Graphic Design: Madeline Critchley | Well-Made
Photography: Tiffany Garvie
Fabrication: Prop Art
Engineering: RMG
Timber sourced from Ceres Fair Wood
Videography: Benny Clark
Multimedia installation: Creative Technology Projects
Lighting: MEGS Lighting
Graphic installation: Design To Print
Video of performance and music by the Djirri Djirri Wurundjeri women's dance group

Photos by Eugene Hyland, courtesy of State Library Victoria

“A central space in the exhibition, inspired by the majestic tree depicted in Burtt’s painting, encourages contemplation and conversation. Videos displayed in this space share the diverse perspectives of Victoria’s Aboriginal community, providing a link between the manuscripts of the past and the path to Treaty today and into the future.”

TREATY STATE LIBRARY VICTORIA

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