The Velocity of Language

TarraWarra Museum of Art is delighted to present an afternoon of live music and performance.

This First Nations music program profiles three forward-thinking artists working at the precipice of language revitalisation, sound art and experimental music. Led by a rare live survey of vocal and sound works by internationally acclaimed artist Christian Thompson, the afternoon will also present live performances by NSW duo Sumn Conduit, comprising Dharawal woman and vocalist Sonya Holowell and modular synthesist and composer Ben Carey, alongside amby downs, the anti-colonial ambient/noise sound project of Yuwalaraay/Gamilaraay artist Tahlia Palmer.

Artists

Sumn Conduit

Sumn Conduit is the duo project of Dharawal vocalist, composer and writer Sonya Holowell, and modular synthesist and composer Ben Carey. The duo navigates a spectrum of improvisational and compositional practices using a range of text, visual and conceptual scores as provocations for sounding. Their work has appeared at the Sydney Festival, Volume Festival of Sound and Vision, Art Gallery of NSW, Biennale of Sydney, Soft Centre, Liveworks Festival of Experimental Art, Vivid Sydney and many other national and international events. The duo’s latest album, Valve Is Released was released in September 2023 on New Weird Australia’s New Editions imprint.

amby downs

amby downs is the anti-colonial ambient/noise sound project of Yuwalaraay/Gamilaraay artist Tahlia Palmer. Born on Whadjuk Boodjar and based on Wurundjeri Biik, amby downs explores the textural, atmospheric, and emotive resonances of place, history and dis/connection through sound. Her work is characterised by heavy, immersive soundscapes that weave together subtle environmental recordings with sparse, processed instrumentation and harmonic drones. She has released music through labels such as Room40, Longform Editions, New Weird Australia and her own imprint, and her work has been featured in art installations, radio programs, and festivals across Australia and internationally.

Dr Christian Thompson AO

Dr Christian Thompson AO (b. 1978, Gawler, South Australia; Bidjara/Irish/Chinese) made history in 2010 as the first Aboriginal Australian admitted to the University of Oxford in its 900-year history. He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy (Fine Art) from Trinity College, University of Oxford; a Master of Theatre from the Amsterdam School of Arts; a Master of Fine Art (Sculpture) and Honours from RMIT University; and a Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Southern Queensland. In 2015 he was mentored by Marina Abramovic.

Thompson has exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Royal Academy of Arts London, the Pitt Rivers Museum Oxford, Modern Art Oxford, the Sharjah Museum UAE, the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre, and the 17th Biennale of Sydney. In 2018 he was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the visual arts. His work is held in major public collections including the Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney, National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of NSW, National Gallery of Victoria and Queensland Art Gallery. A major survey exhibition, Christian Thompson: Ritual Intimacy, curated by Charlotte Day and Hetti Perkins, toured throughout Australia from 2017–19. Thompson won the Bowness Prize in 2020.