FEATURED ARTISTS
A Curious Tractor, Keith Armstrong, Tully Arnot, Leah Barclay, Ros Bandt, Amanda Bennetts, Ally Bisshop, Rosalyn Boko, Tega Brain, Jingwei Bu, Jesse Budel, Joseph Burgess, Michael Candy, Lyndon Davis, Ben Davidson, Jonathan Daw, [M] Dudeck, Caitlin Franzmann, Janine Fuller, Ian Gibbins, Toby Gifford, Erik Griswold, Aunty Helena Gulash, Chris Henschke, Nigel Helyer, Daniel Johnson, Kumi Kato, Heidi Kenyon, Tricia King, Jordan Lacey, Janet Laurence, Eugenia Lim, Linda Loh, Miyarrka Media, Sara Morawetz, Nicole Murphy, Alex Nathanson, Benedetta Piantella, Helen Pynor, Gail Priest, Pierre Proske, Anna Madeleine Raupach, Andrea Rassell, R E A , William Rixon, Philip Samartzis, Sergio Serra López, Cara-Ann Simpson, Niki Sperou, Lisa Stefanoff, Polly Stanton, Vanessa Tomlinson, Catherine Truman, Yandell Walton, Shu Wu, Sarah Woodland, Yimbaya Maranoa Arts Collective
With more to be announced…
r e a , Native series (neon, sensor driven pressure pads activated the sound), a site responsive installation work, originally created as part of The Native Institute Project at Blacktown Arts Centre NSW 2015.
KEYNOTE :: r e a
ANAT is proud to announce celebrated experimental artist, activist, academic and cultural educator r e a as the keynote speaker for SPECTRA 2025 :: Reciprocity.
A descendant of the Gamilaraay, Wailwan, and Biripi Peoples (NSW), r e a has dedicated over three decades to pioneering Australian Indigenous new media theory and practice, challenging colonial narratives and advocating for Indigenous and queer identities in the arts. Through their innovative work across photography, digital media, film, video, and installation, they have continually reframed Indigenous identity and intergenerational experiences, making an indelible impact on First Nations arts nationally and internationally.
r e a ’s practice-led research intersects with critical discourses in intersectionality, colonial history, and cultural resilience. Their work delves into the “colonial archive,” reclaiming Indigenous voices and narratives often silenced by history. In projects such as Native (yugal/song), a 2024 video and motion-sensor installation, and Native (2013), a sound and neon installation, r e a reclaims their personal stories and family’s experiences with the Stolen Generation, addressing historical trauma while creating spaces for cultural memory and healing.
In the realm of academia, r e a’s leadership in Indigenous studies spans nearly two decades, during which they have developed and delivered curriculum in Indigenous Studies and Art History at renowned institutions, including UNSW and the University of Queensland. Their contributions to educational programming have paved the way for more inclusive representations of First Nations’ voices and knowledges in Australian higher education. Additionally, their work in arts education has empowered countless students to explore and respect Indigenous perspectives on creativity and history.
r e a ’s art also aligns with their activism, as seen in their 2024 Biennale of Sydney commission GARI (language). This powerful series incorporates words from r e a’s ancestral languages — Gamilaraay, Wailwan, and Biripi — juxtaposed with Silence = Death, a historic HIV/AIDS awareness slogan, underscoring the dual resistance faced by queer and First Nations identities. Through language reclamation and powerful visual narratives, r e a advocates for Indigenous sovereignty, reclaiming spaces and histories for First Nations communities and future generations.
r e a has received numerous scholarships and grants throughout their creative and academic career, these include: a Samstag International Visual Arts Scholarship, a New Media Arts Fellowship (Australia Council for the Arts), a Fulbright Scholarship, and the Australia Council Award for Emerging and Experimental Art in 2020.
The Gold.Phone photograph Benjamin Knight.
THE GOLD.PHONE
ANAT and UniSC are partnering with A Curious Tractor on The Gold.Phone for ANAT SPECTRA :: Reciprocity.
A Curious Tractor (ACT) fosters co-creation between communities impacted by injustice and those who hold resources, skills, or influence. Founders Nicholas Marchesi, an artist and provocateur and Benjamin Knight, a storyteller and change-maker, create interactive works that explore human connection, mindfulness, and playful dysfunction.
The Gold.Phone is an experimental storytelling platform and communication tool designed to evoke nostalgia, ignite curiosity and support community engagement. A transformed analogue Telstra payphone, retrofitted with modern digital tools, to create an interactive platform for recording and sharing personal reflections, stories and experience.
We’ve installed The.Gold.Phone at UniSC Art Gallery as part of the Reciprocity exhibition.
Anyone can leave a message, either in person on campus or by calling on 02 8503 4273
This isn’t just any message. It’s an invitation to help shape the conversations we’ll have together. Responses are recorded, archived and then thoughtfully analysed using custom code and AI to surface themes, stories and patterns, offering a curated reflection of our collective voice.
Want to know more about how it works?
Read The.Gold.Phone FAQs
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