Art fair takes flight in a powerhouse of culture

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From the 14 art centres and nine independent galleries and artists on display across 60 stalls at this year’s Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF), notable sales this year included the acquisition of Townsville artist Gail Mabo’s mixed media wall installation by the Sydney Powerhouse Museum and Toby Cedar’s Nar (canoe) by the Cairns Airport for their international terminal.

Also noteworthy were the winners of theTorres Strait Regional Authority sponsored People’s Choice Award ($5000), which went to Douglas Tamwoy, and the 3-D Installation and Sculpture Award, sponsored by Ports North ($5000), won by Toby Cedar.

The 14th edition of the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) was a stunning four-day festival which celebrated the dynamic arts and culture movement of Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

With the 2023 theme, Weaving our Future: Claiming our Sovereignty, CIAF’s multi-arts program included art exhibitions, cultural dance, a decade anniversary fashion performance, a two-day symposium, masterclasses, workshops and a music festival.

CIAF Artistic Director Francoise Lane said from start to finish CIAF 2023 proved there was a strong appetite for immersive First Nations arts and culture experiences.

“I feel completely humbled to have worked with the team and so many wonderful artists and practitioners to deliver my first CIAF in the role of Artistic Director,” she said.

“I am proud that together we lifted artistic and public programming to a new and unprecedented level and while capturing the attention and imaginations of visitors, we have provided a truly authentic and meaningful experience.

“CIAF is such a powerful platform for storytelling, truthtelling, knowledge sharing and an inclusive meeting place for cultural exchange of two very distinct and diverse cultures –past, present, and future.”

Among the 50-plus events in CIAF’s program other highlights included two sell-out fashion performances of Woven at Tanks Art Centre showcasing 14 designer collections and 17 models, three fully subscribed Masterclasses, as well as strong attendances across the weekend at satellite exhibition openings. There was also a strong fascination with the Mura Kaymelan Bei

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