Megan Cope facts for kids

Megan Cope is a talented Australian artist, born in 1982. She is from the Quandamooka people, an Aboriginal group from Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah. Megan is famous for her art, which includes sculptures, videos, and paintings. Her work often explores important ideas like who we are and the history of colonialism in Australia. She is also part of a group of Indigenous artists called ProppaNOW in Brisbane.

Early Life and Learning

Megan Cope was born in Brisbane in 1982. She is proud of her Quandamooka heritage. She studied Visual Arts at Deakin University in Victoria. She finished her studies in 2006.

Megan Cope's Art Career

Megan Cope has done many exciting things in her art career. She has managed and organized many art projects and events. These include tinygold and the BARI (Brisbane Artist Run Initiative) Festival. She is also a key member of the ProppaNOW art group in Brisbane.

What Her Art Is About

Megan creates different types of art, like videos, installations, sculptures, and paintings. Her art makes people think about what it means to be Aboriginal. She also looks at Australia's history and ideas about time and ownership. A big part of her art is showing the truth about colonialism. She explores the myths and facts that come with it.

Where Her Art Has Been Shown

Megan's artwork has been displayed in many important places. These include the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of Western Australia. Her art has also been shown at the Melbourne Museum. You can find her work in many other public and private art collections across Australia.

In 2016 and 2017, Megan's art was part of the Tarnanthi Festival. This festival celebrates contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. Her work was shown alongside artist Vincent Namatjira at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

Art for the Australian War Memorial

In 2017, the Australian War Memorial asked Megan to be an official war artist. She was the first Aboriginal woman to have this role. She traveled to the Middle East to see different Australian Defence Force units. Her job was to record and share stories about Australia's role there. She created a series of artworks called Flight or fight. These pieces were displayed on blue gum wood from North Stradbroke Island.

Monster Theatres Installation

In 2020, Megan created a special art installation for the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art. This exhibition was called Monster Theatres. Her artwork was made from rocks, rusted steel drums, wire, and large drill bits. It was designed to be played like a musical instrument. Musicians used special bows to make sounds. The sounds mimicked the bush stone-curlew, a native bird. This bird is doing well on Minjerribah (now North Stradbroke Island). However, it is endangered in New South Wales and Victoria.

Megan Cope currently lives and works in Melbourne.

Art Projects

Megan Cope has created many different types of art projects.

Video Art

• The Blaktism: This video explores ideas about culture, identity, and racism.
• Nimbulima Ngolongmai
• Boykambil
• Yugambeh

Art Exhibitions

• 2020 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art: Monster Theatres: This was shown at the Art Gallery of South Australia and Adelaide Botanic Garden from February 29 to June 8, 2020.
• Water: This exhibition was at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane from December 7, 2019, to April 26, 2020.
• My country, I still call Australia Home: Contemporary Art from Black Australia: This was also at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane. It ran from June 1 to October 7, 2013.
• Curator for Art with Attitude at the Airport Village in Australia in 2012.
• Curator of Nine Wives Exhibition in 2011.
• Curated for the BARI Festival in King George Square in 2010.
• Desperate Spaces: This was a fundraising event curated by Cope in Brisbane.

Sculptural Artworks

• Megan's most famous sculpture project is her glow-in-the-dark ground installations. These are at Charlish Park in Redcliffe, Queensland. This ceramic artwork is part of the pathway. It shows historical events using mapping techniques. It glows brightly in the dark at night.
• The Tide is High: This project was created in 2013. It shows how Australia's geography has changed due to colonialism. It highlights ideas like the loss of Indigenous culture, jobs, and land.
• Fluid Terrain (2013): This large installation was shown at the Queensland Art Gallery. It connects the Quandamooka people with old maps. This is one of the biggest projects Megan has created so far.

Paintings

Megan Cope uses synthetic paint and Indian Ink in her paintings.

• Mining Boom (2013)
• Mining Boom Part Two (2013)
• Yalukit William (2014)
• Boon Wurrung (2014)

Awards and Recognition

Megan Cope won the Western Australian Indigenous Art Award in 2015. This award was worth A$50,000. She won it for her artwork called The Blaktism.

Art Collections

The Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane bought Megan's artwork Re Formation (2016–2019) in 2019. This piece was then included in their Water exhibition. That exhibition ran from December 7, 2019, to April 26, 2020.