First Nations curator redefines emerging

For Primavera’s 30th anniversary, Aboriginal curator of the event Hannah Presley talks about legacy and brave steps.
A first nations woman wearing a black dress stands in front of a white background.

Melbourne-based curator Hannah Presley says the phone call inviting her to curate the next edition of Primavera – the Museum of Contemporary Arts’ exhibition for artists 35 years and under – came totally out of left field.

‘It has been a journey … 2020 was an interesting time to think about, back in 2019 – there were some big anniversaries and things like that, with Black Lives Matter. So I was thinking, do I go all Indigenous artists?’ Presley explained.

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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