This year’s Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) 2016 drew record crowds, with over 51,000 visitors attending the three-day event from 15 - 17 July.
The 7th annual CIAF predominantly resided in the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, with numerous satellite events taking place across Cairns, including the
Cairns Regional Gallery,
Tanks Arts Centre,
UMI Arts,
KickArts Contemporary Arts and
Canopy Art Centre.
The Art Fair in terminal 3, featured eight Indigenous art centres, five Queensland galleries, five independent Indigenous artists and two guest artists. In 2016, CIAF was pleased to welcome back Sydney commercial galleries to the Art Fair,
Martin Browne Contemporary who showcased recent works by Mavis Ngallametta and
Michael Reid Sydney who presented works from Christian Thompson’s most recent exhibition, “Museum of Others”.
There were a number of key art acquisitions by institutions such as the National Gallery of Victoria, AIATSIS and The Australian Museum, thanks to the Collectors and Curators Program managed by notable curator, Hetti Perkins. Public artwork sales have been predicted to total above $520,000, up by more than $170,000 from last year.
The large number of sales and acquisitions that took place during CIAF is a testament to the quality standard of works available for sale at the Art Fair. A large number of commissions is also an outcome of the 2016 Art Fair which ensures additional promotion and business for CIAF exhibitors.
The second CIAF Art Market took place on Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 July and boasted over 45 market stalls, selling art, craft and design works by Queensland Indigenous artists.
A comprehensive entertainment program ran from the Opening Night Party until the famed Closing Ceremony on Sunday. A stellar line up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers included Wilma Reading, Seaman Dan, Dave Dow, Biddigal, The Cairns Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, Cape York Academy, Kawanji Dancers, Masig Kailag Dancers, Pormpuraaw Dancers and more.
For the fourth year in a row, the CIAF Fashion Performance was a resounding success. Once again Curated by Grace Lillian Lee and choreographed by Fiona Wirrer George, the 2016 show ‘Jana Jaral’ (meaning Respect) was shown in two performances due to public demand and sold out more than 1200 seats. This year Grace Lillian Lee included a mentoring program for the 20+ young Indigenous models who took to the catwalk for Jana Jaral and they had the opportunity to participate in the local modelling competition ‘
The Face of Cairns’ a week before CIAF. Congratulations to all the models who participated in the Face of Cairns, and big congratulations to Ebony Doyle and Jarran Andy for making the finals.
