The Transit of Venus

This exhibition was curated by Ursula Frederick, to mark the occasion of the 2012 Transit of Venus, and to reflect upon the significance and impacts of European voyages to the South Pacific to record the Transit of Venus of 1769. Immediately following his observations of the Transit of Venus from Tahiti, Captain James Cook went on to discover and explore the eastern seaboard of Australia. Beyond the colonial consequences of this event, efforts to record the Transit of Venus represent a unique period of scientific expedition and discovery. The artworks in this exhibition were selected on the basis of their capacity to illuminate these different historical threads and their contemporary relevance. Curatorially, the exhibition exemplifies my research interests in histories of cross-cultural encounter and the intersections of art and science. The show comprised prints, paintings, installation, video, photography and sculpture by Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian artists include Alex Asch, Vivienne Binns and Geoff Newton, Heather Burness, Lisa Clunie, Mariana Del Castillo, Ampersand Duck, UK Frederick, Julie Gough, Katie Hayne, Waratah Lahy, Geoffrey Farquhar Still, Genevieve Swift, Frank Thirion, and Naminapu Maymuru White.