An exhibition uniting 10 years of work opened before a large crowd at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery (GRAG).
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James Tylor's Turrangka...in the Shadows brings together a decade of practice by the acclaimed multidisciplinary artist.
Tylor's practice unpacks the histories of colonisation and its impact on Indigenous cultures as informed by his heritage comprising Nunga (Kaurna Miyurna), Mori (Te Arawa) and European (English, Scottish, Irish, Dutch and Norwegian) ancestry.
"It brings...my work together and places them in conversation with each other," Tylor said.
"It's incredible to see all my ideas and images in one space. Turrangka...in the shadows is a collection of all the things I feel are important and that I needed to say something about."
His expansive practice combines historical and contemporary photographic processes, exploring the complexities of cultural identity and relationships to place, particularly the Kaurna Country of South Australia.
The extensive survey features more than 100 works across 10 series, establishing what commentators say is a "potent interplay between Tylor's renowned daguerreotypes, expansive digital photographic series, handmade and Kaurna cultural objects."
The exhibition calls attention to Tylor's enduring interest in the Becquerel Daguerreotype, a 19th-century photographic process to which he has returned throughout his career.
The works consider the contested role of the daguerreotype in representations of Indigenous peoples, re-contextualising the process to interrogate colonial records and generate a new archive of pseudo-historical images.
Exhibition curator Leigh Robb said the major solo exhibition charted the rise of a significant Indigenous contemporary artist.
"Turrangka...in the shadows looks at the complex interplay of experimental techniques and incisive observations on Australia's contested history that characterise Tylor's prolific and profound artistic practice. In Tylor's hands, photography becomes a powerful tool to reclaim culture, language, and connection to Country," she said.
GRAG director Yvette Dal Pozzo said the gallery was delighted to host the exhibition.
"(The)...expansive installations re-contextualise our understanding and experience of the landscape, language and history," she said.
The exhibition continues until May 4.
