“Unconstitutional Love”
Kyra Mancktelow
13 Jan → 24 Feb 2024
Gallery
West Space is proud to premiere Unconstitutional Love by Quandamooka artist Kyra Mancktelow.
Unconstitutional Love centres around a wedding dress that honours the artist’s Ancestors. With this work, Kyra continues to explore the history of garments in Australia as a means by which to address the ongoing impact of colonisation.
“Until the 1960s, Indigenous Australians could only marry with government permission. These garments and prints investigate long-lasting legacies of colonialism, asking questions such as how we remember and acknowledge these histories. My hope is to draw upon the strength of resistance by adapting, retaining cultural ways and identity.” — Kyra Mancktelow
Unconstitutional Love is presented in partnership with Agency Projects, with Closing Night Drinks presented at part of the Melbourne Art Fair x Collingwood Yards program.
Program
If the olive trees knew, Sat 3 Feb, 3 → 6pm
An advocacy and solidarity event for discussion around alternative forms of protest and resistance, allyship and community organising.
Presented by West Space and Made in Palestine with guest speakers Uncle Ihab Alazhari (Sit Intifada), Dew & Izzy (Stitch Intifada), and Dana Alshaer (Uni Melb for Palestine).
Conversation with Kyra Mancktelow, Fri 24 Feb, 6 → 7pm
Kyra Mancktelow was joined by Agency Curator Coby Edgar to discuss the stories and histories that inform Unconstitutional Love.
Kyra Mancktelow’s multidisciplinary practice investigates legacies of colonialism, posing important questions such as how we remember and acknowledge Indigenous histories. A Quandamooka artist with links to the Mardigan people of Cunnamulla, Kyra’s practice includes printmaking, ceramics, and sculpture – each applying a unique and distinct aesthetic. Kyra works with various materials to share her rich heritage, stories, and traditions to educate audiences and strengthen her connection to Country.
