The exhibition is the third one unveiled in line with the firm's social inclusion initiative
Lander & Rogers has spotlighted South Sudanese artist Thurbill Pouk in the third exhibition of its Gallery Project 35 series.
Nyajal and the Pink Zebra is Pouk’s first major collection, the firm said. It goes into the themes of womanhood and identity, as well as the artist’s faith journey, with Pouk’s heritage as the backdrop.
Pouk's art was inspired by her journey from South Sudan to Australia as a refugee and her subsequent struggle to assimilate into Western culture. Her time in a Catholic primary school ignited her love of early Christian art, as well as her faith.
The firm explained that "Nyajal" means "girl/walk" or "girl/journey" in Pouk’s ethnic Nuer. Meanwhile, the motif of pink zebras represented the complex foreign questions the artist struggled with in her environment.
"My hope is that [the exhibition] is able to spark dialogue around culture, faith and identity and to showcase a nuanced experience of being a South Sudanese woman. The exhibition presents unique facets of my culture that may not be readily accessible to others and so provides an amazing opportunity to share these human experiences and bond over creativity", Pouk said.
The exhibit was unveiled at Lander & Rogers’ Melbourne gallery space on 26 March. It ties in with the firm’s social inclusion initiative.
"Each exhibition allows us to provide an artist with the opportunity to exhibit and sell works to a new audience and spotlight the strength of their unique artistic message”, pro bono, community and environment partner Joanna Renkin said. “The Project has demonstrated to us how engagement with often marginalised creative voices in our community opens up new understandings of life experiences and, as many of the artists have indicated, disrupts the space an artist has been allowed to occupy. This in turn builds new confidence and opens up aspirations and possibilities for the future".
Renkin also noted the learning opportunities afforded to artists through the project, “whether that's been the power of curating a solo exhibition for the first time or understanding their rights as an artist and the commercial frameworks to ensure ongoing success”.
Lander & Rogers has engaged in several initiatives to support the South Sudanese community in Australia, such as the South Sudanese Business Response (SSBR) program in 2018. The program was one of the mentoring and work experience programs conducted by the firm.
