Alana Hunt: All the violence within this features work produced for and made during Australia’s leading survey exhibition of contemporary art, The National 2021: New Australian Art. Shown for the first time in a regional context at the Port Hedland Courthouse Gallery+Studio, this moving body of work is a culmination of Hunt’s long-unfolding photographic series All the violence within this and In the national interest, and will feature commissioned audio (below) of a conversation series that underpins Hunt’s practice as a whole. 

Alana Hunt’s work examines the violence and vulnerability of contemporary Australia through leisure and development. She presents disturbing, yet familiar scenes of Country violated, often in seemingly benign ways, and crafts intentional conversations that have transpired in response to these images. Her work is a compelling reminder to non-Indigenous audiences to reflect on the ways colonisation is not historical but unfolding. Here. And now.

Seven myths you should, is an essay by Tristen Harwood which explores a deeper understanding of her work.

The following conversations reveals part of a relational constellation that underpins Alana’s practice as a whole, and the images in the exhibition specifically—connecting people and places, processes and practices, influences and experiences, in a series of discursive, free flowing dialogues. Each conversation will be released fortnightly on THIS PAGE, alongside public release via the Hedland Community Radio every Friday fortnight at 1pm (101.3FM).

Audio 1

TRESPASSING
For the first in the series, Trespassing, Alana Hunt is in conversation with Chris Griffiths and David Newry, Miriwoong men who share a strong sense of commitment and responsibility in maintaining cultural legacies of Country.

Audio 2
RELATIONS
For the second in the series, Relations, Alana Hunt is in correspondence with the artists Narelle Jubelin and Diana Wood Conroy—both senior artists with practices that have been active since the 1980s and 1970s respectively.

Audio 3
GLUTTONY
For the third in the series, Gluttony, Alana Hunt is in conversation with Mona Bhan—a cultural anthropologist from Kashmir working in the US. Her work explores the role of economic and infrastructural development in counterinsurgency operations and people’s resistance movements to protracted war and conflict.

Audio 4
IMPOSSIBILITIES
For the fourth in the series, Impossibilities, Alana Hunt is in conversation with Jazz Money—an award-winning poet, filmmaker and educator of Wiradjuri heritage currently based on beautiful Gadigal land. She specialises in storytelling, community collaboration and digital production and her first collection of poetry how to make a basket will be published by UQP in 2021.

Audio 5
TENSIONS
For the fifth in the series, Tensions, Alana Hunt is in conversation with Kush Badhwar—an artist and filmmaker operating across media, art, cinematic and other social contexts.

Audio 6
WIT
For the sixth, and final piece, in the series, Wit, Alana Hunt is in conversation with Ross Gibson, who makes books, films, and audiovisual installations, working in cultural institutions such as the Museum of Sydney and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. He is currently Centenary Professor of Creative & Cultural Research at the University of Canberra.

This body of work has been supported by the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund (2019), a Regional Artist Fellowship through the State Government’s Regional Arts and Cultural Investment Program and Regional Arts WA (2020-21), and Carriageworks inaugural Writer in Residence program (2021).