Sentient 10 November - 9 December 2018 Murray Art Museum Albury

In March 2017, a New Zealand High Court awarded sentient rights to the ancient Whanganui River, after 140 years of negotiation by Māori. This recognition requires that the river must be treated as living entity, and is legally considered as an ancestor of the Whanganui tribe in the North Island of New Zealand.

This landmark decision is a reference point in Sentient, a creative collaboration by Curator Abigail Moncrieff and artist James Nguyen. The project focuses on the Murray River and its usage in the regional situation of Albury New South Wales. James and Abigail have been visiting Albury since December 2017 in the development of Sentient, which has been realised through conversations with the local communities of Albury, exploring ideas around migration, borders, histories and the environment.

The River Murray is contested space; the depth of cultural and spiritual significance of the river to the indigenous community over time is set against the environmental and social impact of colonisation in the Murray River region. Recent immigration and the growing population of Albury, coupled with the economic significance of the water environment of the Murray River to tourism in Albury region, further complexifies this timely and significant conversation. 

This website contextualises the conversations that took place around the River Murray in Albury Wodonga region, and uses reference images photographed by James Nguyen throughout the Sentient research and residency period: places

Find images of Sentient exhibition at MAMA here: exhibition

Sentient will take place through an exhibition and a number of public events that will support the key ideas and conversations of the project. The Redfin BBQ Project Launch and an accompanying in-conversation panel event will take place on November 10: events

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

This project was assisted by a grant from Create NSW, an agency of the New South Wales Government and supported by the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian State and Territory Governments. The program is administered by the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA).