Entertainment
24 July, 2024
‘Not selling cakes’ – but printing lots of money at CIAF
THE signature exhibition celebrating 15 years of the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair – ‘Not Selling Cakes’– is now open to mark the evolution of the art fair and contributions of its most integral artists.
Not Selling Cakes is an exhibition that reflects CIAF’s evolution from its beginnings at the Tanks Art Centre to a statewide celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts.
The exhibition is now open to the public, but an official launch will take place on Friday, July 26 as part of the official start of CIAF 2024.
The exhibition title references the influential 2006 report on the sustainability of Far North Queensland and Torres Strait Indigenous art centres – “…whatever you write, just tell them we are not selling cakes here – we are printing money,” said Billy Missi, who’s also being honoured in the exhibition. “Not Selling Cakes is CIAF’s signature 15-year exhibition, it has come together with contributions from arts leaders across Queensland who have been part of the evolution of CIAF,” said artistic director Francoise Lane
“The title Not Selling Cakes is the name of the landmark report commissioned by Arts Queensland to look into the sustainability of Indigenous arts across the state and that report was a major factor in the backing of Indigenous arts funding and CIAF.
“Tank 4 was the very first place where we held CIAF back in 2009, so it’s a full circle moment coming back to where it all began and the humble beginnings of CIAF.”
The exhibition will feature 40 artworks from 20 artists, some who have since died, in an array of mediums from acrylic on canvas, photography, to collages, and sculptures by renowned First Nations artists like Simone Arnol, Billy Missi, Tony Albert, Wanda Gibson, Brian Robinson and more.
CIAF’s curatorial associate Teho Ropeyarn said Not Selling Cakes was an exhibition to both celebrate and reflect.
“We’re looking at 15 years of very strong artists that have come through CIAF and really celebrated Queensland through our culture telling our stories,” he said.
“Textiles have been a big part of the fashion journey, there’s also the Aurukun dogs – there’s a special one by Garry Namponan – and ghost nets, which I think CIAF gave birth to ghost nets in the industry.”
