8 July to 20 August 2008
The genesis of this exhibition was the discovery of the program for An Aboriginal Moomba: Out of the Dark, along with a handful of black-and-white photographs, in the Public Records Office Victoria.
The performance was staged in 1951, at a time when Aboriginal entertainers and entrepreneurs were blocked from having agency in their own ventures by legislation and institutional racism. The show was unusual in receiving government funding and media attention, enjoying sell-out shows during its short season.
Despite the difficulties for Aboriginal entertainment entrepreneurs, the show wasn't alone in presenting Aboriginal culture to a wider world. Entrepreneur Bill Onus also presented Corroboree two years earlier in 1949, as part of Wirth's Olympia.
Making a Show of It retrieved An Aboriginal Moomba and Corroboree from being mere footnotes to the history of Melbourne's performing arts. Putting them centre stage, the exhibition focused on the shows' eclecticism, the resourcefulness of the entertainers and entrepreneurs, the accommodation of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous production staff and their presentation to a broad audience.
Through photographs, programs, media cuttings and other ephemera, Making a Show of It presented the small but growing aesthetic and public space of Aboriginal performance in Melbourne half a century ago.
Curated by Virginia Fraser and Destiny Deacon
Curators Virginia Fraser and Destiny Deacon are long-time collaborators who've worked together on many projects – most prolifically in their own art practice.
Virginia is a Melbourne-based artist and writer. She has a BA and MA in fine arts from Port Phillip Institute and La Trobe University, respectively. She trained in journalism and her publications include A Book About Australian Women. Virginia works with experimental and art film as a curator, reviewer and practising artist.
A descendant of the K'ua K'ua and Erub/Mer peoples of Queensland, Destiny lives and works in Melbourne. She graduated from the University of Melbourne with a BA in politics and from La Trobe University with a Diploma of Education.
Her work engages with popular culture, and she has exhibited extensively in solo and group shows since she began taking photographs in 1990. While she is best known for her provocative photographic work, she also uses video and is a writer and performer. Her work is held in many public and private collections.
Making a Show of It was a partnership with Public Record Office Victoria.