ProppaNOW facts for kids

proppaNOW is a group of Indigenous Australian artists from Queensland. They work together to challenge old ideas about what Indigenous art is. They also want to make sure that artists from cities have their voices heard. This group has shown their art in many exhibitions across Australia. Richard Bell, Jennifer Herd, and Vernon Ah Kee started proppaNOW in 2003, and it officially became a group in 2004.

How proppaNOW Started and What They Do

The idea for proppaNOW first came up in Brisbane in 1997. The artists wanted to form a group to support each other's work. They also wanted to change people's minds about what Aboriginal art is.

The group officially formed in 2004. This happened after the Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, created a new agency. This agency was called QIAMEA. Its job was to promote Indigenous art from Queensland.

However, the artists were worried. QIAMEA seemed to focus only on art from remote areas. This made it seem like only certain types of Indigenous art were important. It also reinforced cultural stereotypes.

So, proppaNOW decided to make sure urban Aboriginal artists had a voice. They want to show that Aboriginal culture is alive and always changing. In June 2019, proppaNOW held an open day at the Institute of Modern Art in Brisbane.

An exhibition called OCCURRENT AFFAIR: proppaNOW was planned for 2019. It was moved to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. It ran from February 13 to June 19, 2021, at the University of Queensland Art Museum. This was a big show of the artists' work. The name of the exhibition, OCCURRENT AFFAIR, is a nod to an Australian TV show. That show is known for its dramatic style.

Who are the proppaNOW Artists?

The artists who first started proppaNOW were Richard Bell, Jennifer Herd, Joshua Herd, and Vernon Ah Kee.

As of February 2020, the members of the group are:

• Richard Bell
• Jennifer Herd
• Vernon Ah Kee
• Tony Albert
• Gordon Hookey
• Laurie Nilsen
• Megan Cope

Awards and Recognition

The State Library of Queensland has interviewed many proppaNOW members. These include Richard Bell, Jennifer Herd, Vernon Ah Kee, Gordon Hookey, and Laurie Nilsen. In these interviews, the artists talk about their lives, their art, and what inspires them.

In October 2022, proppaNOW won a big award. It was the Jane Lombard Prize for Art and Social Justice for 2022–2024. The judges all agreed that proppaNOW deserved to win. They said the group has changed ideas about what Aboriginal art should be. They have created a new space for First Nations artists around the world. This space is free from old stereotypes.

Art Exhibitions by proppaNOW

proppaNOW has held many art exhibitions. Their first one was in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2005. Since then, many shows have been in Queensland. But several have also traveled around Australia or been held in other cities. Here are some recent exhibitions:

2012

• Touchy Fearly, Fehily Contemporary, Collingwood, Victoria, July 19 – August 11, 2012.
• Existence Resistance, Bega Regional Gallery, Bega, New South Wales, July 13 – August 18, 2012.
• proppaNOW, kuril dhagun State Library of Queensland, Brisbane, May 14 – September 10, 2012.
• proppaNOW Studio Works, Montague Road Studio Space, Brisbane, Dec 6 – 30, 2012.

2013

• Insurgence, Museum of Australian Democracy, Canberra, ACT, October 2013.

2014

• The Black Line

2015

• Dark + Disturbing: Gordon Hookey for proppaNOW, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, August 2015. This show was put together by Vernon Ah Kee.

Special Art Projects

• Monument: Yininmadyemi - Thou dids't let fall: This artwork has four standing bullets and three fallen shells. They are made of black marble and steel with a bronze finish. War stories are written on them. This monument was put in Hyde Park, Sydney on April 25, 2015.