Overview Foreword Introduction Essays

Artists Venues

Bec Cole, NETS Victoria

NETS Victoria is extremely honored to support a national tour of La Trobe Art Institute’s unique exhibition One foot on the ground, one foot in the water, curated by Travis Curtin.

The first iteration of the exhibition received assistance from
NETS Victoria’s Exhibition Development Fund 2020, supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. We are proud to further this relationship as a touring body with support from the Australia Council for the Arts.

In its careful consideration of the ways we mourn, we celebrate life and all of its associated changes, this exhibition is a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of our very existence but also the lasting impacts of those who have passed. It is an important exhibition that deals with the differing strands of grief, death and ceremonial affirmation.

Showcasing works from Australian artists including renowned Tiwi, Yolŋu, and Gija artists and international artists, this exhibition is evocatively curated; Travis Curtin has enabled his own experiences of grief, to react and inform the exhibition. The results are deeply personal and the exhibition offers an intercultural perspective on death, dying, loss and grief.

For NETS Victoria, One foot on the ground, one foot in the water demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to supporting First Nations creative practice throughout Australia as well as many other practitioners, offering a collection of diverse perspectives.

NETS Victoria is the peak body for touring visual art, craft and design across Victoria and beyond; partnering and collaborating with art galleries, cultural institutions, artists and curators to present outstanding exhibitions and projects, complemented by high quality publications and programs. NETS Victoria is both proud and excited to be giving regional audiences across Australia access to the important works of these exciting, contemporary artists.

On behalf of NETS Victoria, I would like to extend a warm appreciation and highlight the care and detail of our partner La Trobe Art Institute, led by Director Bala Starr. We thank Travis Curtin for his commitment to the project and the extraordinary support he has offered to ensure the exhibition is tour-ready.

Finally, we thank the artists and contributing writers for their creative works that gently serve as a reminder to us to continue to honour the memories of those passed.

Catherine Bell
Final resting place 2018–20
Installation view, La Trobe Art Institute, 2020 Photograph: Ian Hill