ABR Calibre Prize: Seeing Truganini

Peter Mares is lead moderator with The Cranlana Programme, an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to developing the ethical decision-making skills of Australia’s leaders. Peter is also contributing editor at Inside Story magazine and adjunct fellow at Swinburne University’s Centre for Urban Transitions. He is a former ABC broadcaster and the author of three books, including No Place Like Home: Repairing Australia’s Housing Crisis (Text 2018).

David Hansen has worked as a regional gallery director, a State museum curator and an art auction house researcher and specialist; in 2014 he was appointed Associate Professor at the Centre for Art History and Art Theory at the Australian National University.

With over 35 years’ experience in the visual arts and museums sector, Dr Hansen has curated more than 80 exhibitions, while his writings on art have been widely published in newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals, exhibition catalogues and books. The catalogue of his 2017 National Portrait Gallery exhibition Dempsey’s People won the 2018 William M.B. Berger Prize for British Art History.

From the Gurindji/Mudpurra peoples from Kalkaringi/Daguragu communities in the Northern Territory, Brenda Croft is an artist, curator, writer and lecturer.

Brenda L Croft was born in Perth in 1964, and now lives in Adelaide. She has been involved in the arts and cultural industry for a quarter of a century in roles as various as artist, arts administrator, curator, writer, lecturer and consultant.

In 2009 Brenda commenced at the University of South Australia as Lecturer, Indigenous Art, Culture and Design with the David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research, and Art Architecture and Design School. From 2002 – early 2009 Brenda was Senior Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the National Gallery of Australia, where she initiated and curated the inaugural National Indigenous Art Triennial: Culture Warriors in 2007, touring to the USA in 2009.

Other major international projects include co-curating the Australian pavilion for the 1997 Venice Biennale, and co-curating the Australian Indigenous Art Commission for the Musée du quai Branly in 2006, both with close colleague and friend, Hetti Perkins. In 1995 Brenda was awarded a Master of Art Administration from the College of Fine Arts (UNSW) and received an Alumni Award in 2001. In 2009 Brenda received an Honorary Doctorate in Visual Arts from the University of Sydney (Sydney College of the Arts).

She continues to curate exhibitions and projects, write on Indigenous cultural issues and exhibit her own artwork. A practicing artist since 1985, focusing on photo-media, and representation and identity, Brenda’s works are held in public and private collections in Australia and overseas.

Tony is a curator and member of the Trawlwoolway people.

Tony is a descendant of Manalargenna, a leader of the Trawlwoolway people. He was born on Flinders Island in 1957 but grew up on Cape Barren Island just off the north–eastern tip of Tasmania. From the age of twelve Tony attended high school in Launceston.

After leaving school Tony spent a number of years living and working on Cape Barren Island, Launceston and mainland Australia, before eventually moving to Hobart where he spent four years working for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centres, Health Service.

In 1997 Tony gained a position at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) where he started as a Trainee curator, before working his way up to be Senior Curator of Indigenous Cultures, a position he currently holds.

Tony has a double major Arts Degree in History and Aboriginal Studies from the University of Tasmania.

Tony considers his biggest achievements at TMAG are the development of ningenneh tunapry the Tasmanian Aboriginal Gallery and the cultural revival of building Tasmanian Aboriginal bark canoes. Tony is currently working on two major TMAG Redevelopment projects.