Museum of Australian Democracy before the fires. Image Shutterstock.
Last week a fire was lit at the Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD), raising a number of issues. While most media coverage has called the arson a protest, the very message of democracy has been lost in all the noise.
The site has been repeatedly referred to as Old Parliament House this past week, rather than its full identity as a museum today, which returns the building to a colonial ‘ruling’ position rather than one as a symbol for many voices.
Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's Senior Contributor, after 12 years in the role as National Visual Arts Editor. She has worked for extended periods in America and Southeast Asia, as gallerist, arts administrator and regional contributing editor for a number of magazines, including Hong Kong based Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. She is an Art Tour leader for the AGNSW Members, and lectures regularly on the state of the arts. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW.
Instagram: fairleygina
