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In 2012, the National Gallery of Victoria presented "Negotiating This World: Contemporary Australian Art," a significant exhibition curated by Jane Devery that offered a comprehensive survey of Australian artistic practices from the preceding decade. This exhibition represented a pivotal moment in Australian art discourse, bringing together diverse works that reflected the complexities of contemporary existence.
Devery's curatorial vision emphasized how contemporary Australian artists were responding to rapidly changing social, political, and technological environments. The exhibition featured approximately 100 works by over 40 artists, showcasing a range of mediums including painting, sculpture, installation, video, and photography. This diverse selection highlighted the multiplicity of approaches that characterized Australian art in the early 21st century.
The exhibition's title—"Negotiating This World"—spoke directly to its central theme: how artists navigate and make sense of an increasingly complex reality. Many works in the exhibition engaged with pressing contemporary issues such as globalization, environmental degradation, cultural identity, and technological advancement. By bringing these diverse perspectives together, Devery created a dialogue about the role of art in addressing and reflecting upon current challenges.
Indigenous perspectives formed a crucial component of the exhibition. Artists such as Vernon Ah Kee, Destiny Deacon, and Richard Bell presented works that confronted Australia's colonial legacy and ongoing issues of representation and sovereignty. These contributions ensured that First Nations voices were integral to the exhibition's exploration of contemporary Australian experience.
The exhibition also showcased artists engaging with Australia's relationship to its geographical region. Works addressing migration, cultural exchange, and Australia's position within Asia-Pacific contexts reflected the nation's evolving sense of place in a globalized world. This regional focus acknowledged the shifting dynamics of cultural influence and exchange that were reshaping Australian identity.
Many featured artists employed innovative approaches to traditional mediums. Painters like Daniel Boyd and Mitch Cairns demonstrated how the medium continued to evolve through experimentation with technique and subject matter. Similarly, sculptural works by artists including Hany Armanious and Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro showed how three-dimensional practices were being reimagined through unexpected materials and conceptual frameworks.
Digital and new media works occupied significant space in the exhibition, reflecting technological changes transforming both artistic production and everyday life. Video installations and digital artworks highlighted how Australian artists were embracing new tools while critically examining technology's wider implications.
"Negotiating This World" served as both a snapshot of Australian art at a particular moment and a platform for considering its future directions. By bringing established figures into dialogue with emerging voices, the exhibition charted continuities and ruptures in artistic practices. This intergenerational approach allowed visitors to trace developments and departures in themes and techniques across different career stages.
The educational value of "Negotiating This World" extended beyond the exhibition itself through an extensive program of talks, workshops, and publications. These resources provided deeper context for the works on display and fostered greater public engagement with contemporary art practices.
