NAIDOC Week 2010
Unsung Heroes – Closing the Gap by Leading Their Way
Unsung Heroes: Celebrating Indigenous Australia, is a world-class exhibition of Australian Indigenous art, presented by the Australian High Commission and ReDot Gallery in celebration of NAIDOC Week 2010.
NAIDOC Week, which stands for National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week, is an annual celebration of the culture, history, and achievements of Australia’s Indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It takes place every July, and is celebrated across the world by Australians and non-Australians alike.
The theme for this year’s NAIDOC celebration is Unsung Heroes – Closing the Gap by Leading Their Way, underlining the many ordinary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have made huge contributions to Australian society and helped to ‘close the gap’ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
The Australian High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Doug Chester said, “The Indigenous art movement has helped Australian Indigenous artists bring the culture of the First Australians to the world. It has also become a successful social, economic and cultural enabler of many Indigenous communities. Last year, the Australian Government recognised the importance of Australian Aboriginal art through its endorsement of the Indigenous Art Commercial Code of Conduct, which aims to promote fair trade and practice in the industry.”
In addition, the Australian Government committed over AUD5 billion to measures in 2008 and 2009 to improve the life expectancy, health, education, and employment of the Indigenous peoples and help ‘close the gap’.
Unsung Heroes: Celebrating Indigenous Australia is on from now till 31 July 2010 at the Australian High Commission’s Atrium Gallery. It features works from Australia’s foremost indigenous artists across Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The exhibition promises to be one of the most comprehensive showings of Australian indigenous art in Singapore.