Toowongs Don’t Make a White

29 February 2008 – 22 March 2008, opening Thursday 28 February 6 - 8pm

Artist Talk Thursday 20 March, 12.30 - 1.30pm

Toowongs Don’t Make a White explores the biological similarities and cultural differences that inform our individual and collective identities. The project uses ‘skin’ and the ‘home’ to illuminate myths of ‘being’ Australian. Furthermore ‘skin’ and ‘home’ stand in reserve for contemporary debates into biotechnologies and genetic engineering. Central to the project theme is not who controls the debate about ‘life’ but moreover the socio political economy of the body as a multi-layered site to be ’cultivated’. It situates the questions of ‘life’ and ‘the creation of life’ as socially constructed activities into the centre of the debate.

Metrofarm is a multidisciplinary collaborative organisation founded by Lisa Broomhead and Mark Guglielmetti. Lisa completed her Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) at the VCA in 2006 and Mark is currently completing a PhD at Monash University. The artists have exhibited nationally and internationally. Toowongs Don’t Make a White is the inaugural Metrofarm project.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.