AN EXHIBITION curated and created at the Bendigo Art Gallery has gone on display at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.
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The Piinpi: Contemporary Indigenous Fashion was exhibited in Bendigo for a number of weeks in summer and will be unveiled in Canberra on Friday night.
Bendigo Art Gallery director Jess Bridgfoot and First Nations curator Shonae Hobson travelled to Canberra for the launch.
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Ms Bridgfoot said it was a proud moment for the gallery to be able to produce and tour an exhibition.
"It's the first time we have produced an exhibition and toured it to a national institution. It's the first tour we have ever launched," she said. "We are in discussions about potentially partnering with the NMA to take it internationally. They're keen on promoting the exhibition and the Indigenous fashion industry in Australia.
"(The Canberra) exhibition is a more refined version of the one that was in Bendigo. It doesn't have some of the loans we have. What is touring is the garments from the Bendigo Art Gallery's collection. It is in the First People's part of the museum and is a different presentation in some ways but still the same story."
Ms Hobson said the exhibition was important in helping Indigenous voices being heard.
"Indigenous fashion is not a 'trend' but an important movement that has put Indigenous voices and artistic expression at the centre of the global fashion agenda," she said.
"These pioneering artists and makers are carving the future of fashion and design in Australia and leading important conversations about ethical and sustainable practices."
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Mr Bridgfoot said Piinpi was very well received in Bendigo despite having a short season due to the coronavirus pandemic. She hopes it success will lead to other Bendigo Art Gallery-produced exhibitions being displayed in other cities and galleries.
"It was only on for nine weeks (at the Bendigo Art Gallery) as opposed three or four months but we had 23,000 people through the exhibition, making it our busiest summer ever," she said. "Even when we re-launched with 50 per cent capacity, there was such an amount of interested people.
"If we can do (tour exhibitions) ourselves, that would be wonderful, but partnering with the NMA gives us access to resources and relationships at a federal level. The sky is the limit. We know how to bring (exhibitions) in, so bringing them out is just the opposite."
"(Touring exhibitions) was always in the back of my mind. Piinpi just presented us with an opportunity to move on it in the short term."
Piinpi: Contemporary Indigenous Fashion is at the National Museum of Australia from February 19 until August 8. Entry is free.
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