Qtopia – Ward 17 South
PROGRAM
Qtopia – Ward 17 South
17 February – 18 March 2023
Building 11
Monday to Saturday
11am – 5pm
Free admission
Image credit: Bunny Hop – Easter egg donations from The Bookshop Darlinghurst and the opening night of OBLIVION at Zoom, delivered by Queen Bunny and helpers to Terry Morris at St Vincents, 1994 (c) MazzImages
Qtopia Sydney and NAS are proud to announce a partnership to realise a restaging of St Vincent’s Hospital’s Ward 17 South.
The installation will be curated to coincide with Sydney WorldPride 2023 at NAS’ Darlinghurst campus, featuring historical and archival objects, imagery, video, and audio to tell some of the stories of this significant period within Australia’s history.
“Between 1984 and 2007, the first dedicated HIV/Aids unit in Australia – Ward 17 – was a haven for those people who were infected with HIV/ AIDS, people who were very sick, who were dying and who were challenged with a situation that until most recently, no one had ever envisaged,” said David Polson, Chairman of Qtopia Sydney.
“The installation will tell a story of the very space that cared for so many, steeped in hope, love and sadly death. It was a place of deep humanity where patients, the medical fraternity and the community were centred,” Mr Polson continued.
“The role of government, Queer community groups and the incredible Doctors, nurses, and ancillary staff, along with the extraordinary Sisters of Charity, will be recalled and honoured.
“This space will serve as a reminder of the journey and obstacles the Queer community has both faced and overcome in recent decades, particularly with its proximity to St Vincent’s where I, among many, was treated for HIV/AIDS.
NAS Director and CEO Steven Alderton said, “We are thrilled to be in position to support Qtopia Sydney in their incredibly important endeavour.
“NAS’ commitment to our students includes fostering creative thinking processes across multiple disciplines, and we emphasise the role of a curious and empathetic mind within critical contemporary practice.
“We think this aligns beautifully not only with the goals and objectives of Sydney WorldPride 2023, but with the overarching vision of Qtopia Sydney and we are excited to be a part of their journey,” he said.
Our academic year kicked off with Drawing Week, a program of drawing intensive workshops for our 2nd and 3rd year BFA students.
At the @sydneyoperahouse workshop, led by Drawing Lecturer Tango Conway, students were invited to experiment and expand their practice in an environment rarely open to the public.
Learn more about the BFA program at the link in bio.
Mar 9
The National Art School was proud to launch our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and First Peoples Centre Darani Ngalawada last night.
The RAP articulates our commitment to strengthening relationships between Australia’s First Peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, acknowledging the truth and ongoing impact of colonisation, while cultivating a positive future together through education.
NAS always was, always will be on unceded Gadigal Land.
To read our RAP, visit nas.edu.au.
Mar 7
Become a part of our community of art lovers and support the next generation of artists.
Unlock exclusive access to a specialist program of annual events such as exhibition previews, curator-led tours, artist talks, studio visits, and artists’ parties.
Find out more at the link in bio.
Mar 5
This is your last week to experience ‘Queer Contemporary: Chaosophy’, an exhibition that brings together three generations of queer artists who make and break language across the intersections of art, activism, poetry and performance; as part of Mardi Gras 2025.
Curated by Dr Liz Bradshaw, with work by artists Kika Kereru Baker, Daniel Browning, Sam Chan, Blake Griffiths, Frankie L.A, nikita lelu, r e a, Victoria Spence, Jake Starr, Ali Tahayori, Magic Young and Justine Youssef.
Plan your visit at the link in bio.
Mar 2
‘Queer Contemporary: Chaosophy’, as part of Mardi Gras 2025, is now open until Saturday 8 March.
Curated by Dr Liz Bradshaw, with work by artists Kika Kereru Baker, Daniel Browning, Sam Chan, Blake Griffiths, Frankie L.A, nikita lelu, r e a, Victoria Spence, Jake Starr, Ali Tahayori, Magic Young and Justine Youssef.
Three generations of queer artists make and break language across the intersections of art, activism, poetry and performance. Through their individual aesthetics and distinct voices, together the artists disrupt histories, languages, conventional silences and institutional spaces, using and queering language to propose alternate perspectives on and interpretations of identity and ways of being.
11am – 5pm Monday to Saturday
Building 25 Project Space
Free admission, all welcome
Feb 17
