Brook Andrew facts for kids
Brook Andrew, born in Sydney, Australia in 1970, is a well-known Australian artist. He creates modern art that makes people think. His artworks often explore stories from history, especially about how different cultures met in Australia's past.
Brook Andrew's Artworks
Brook Andrew's art has been shown all over the world since 1996. He uses many different types of art. These include videos, sculptures, photographs, and large art setups you can walk into. His art often looks at Western stories and how they connect to colonialism in Australia.
In 2014, Andrew worked with museums in Spain. He created a special art setup called A Solid Memory of the Forgotten Plains of our Trash and Obsessions. This artwork explored the history of Spain, Britain, and Australia. It made people think about how these countries influenced each other.
In 2015, Andrew created The Weight of History, A Mark in Time in Barangaroo, Sydney. This project combined traditional Aboriginal art with modern buildings and landscapes. It showed how old and new ideas can come together.
Research and Important Projects
Brook Andrew is also involved in important research. In 2017, he received a special fellowship from the Smithsonian. He also studied at the Musée du quai Branly in Paris. There, he looked at how colonial photographers took pictures of people. He wanted to understand the relationship between them.
He is also part of a big research project called Representation, Remembrance and the Monument. This project looks at creating a national memorial for Australian Aboriginal people. It also remembers the Australian frontier wars. These were conflicts between Aboriginal people and European settlers.
Brook Andrew and his partner, Trent Walter, are creating a special memorial in Melbourne. It will be Australia's first official government-supported memorial to the frontier wars. This memorial will honor Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheener. They were the first two Aboriginal men to be executed in Melbourne.
Leading the Biennale of Sydney
In 2018, Brook Andrew was chosen for a very important role. He became the Artistic Director for the 22nd Biennale of Sydney in 2020. The Biennale of Sydney is a huge art festival.
The title of this Biennale was NIRIN. This word means 'edge' in Wiradjuri, which is the language of Andrew's mother. As the artistic director, Andrew showed art from many different cultures. He celebrated not only Australia's Indigenous cultures but also those of First Nations artists from all over the world.
Andrew explained that he wanted to challenge old ideas. He was interested in what "sovereignty" means for Indigenous peoples. He also wanted to explore other new stories, not just about being Indigenous.
