The Kamilaroi and Bigambul man based in Redlands, Queensland, will show his work in the Australia Pavilion at the 2024 Biennale, one of the most prestigious events in the international art world.
He follows photographer and video artist Tracey Moffatt, who represented Australia in 2017.
Two Indigenous artists, Rover Thomas and Trevor Nickolls, represented Australia in 1990, while Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Judy Watson and Yvonne Koolmatrie did so in 1997.
A multimedia artist, Moore looks at the lived experience of Indigenous Australians through common signifiers of identity, including skin, language, smell, home, genealogy and flags.
"Thank you all for your tremendous belief in my proposed work for the Australia Pavilion at the Venice Biennale behemoth," Archie Moore said.
"I would like to express my deep gratitude to all involved in making my team's proposal the successful project for 2024."
Kamilaroi and Bigambul multimedia artist Archie Moore explores the lived identity and experiences of Indigenous Australia through smell, skin, language and other evocative mediums
Industry praises commissioning of Moore's artwork
Moore's work 'the borders of intercultural understanding and misunderstanding and the wider concerns of racism.'
With works held in major public collections across Australia, his commission has been met with praise from fellow artists such as Richard Bell and Tony Albert, as did Australia Council Executive Director First Nations Arts and Culture Franchesca Cubillo.
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“This exhibition comes during a significant milestone as the Australia Council marks 50 years of dedicated investment to First Nations arts and culture," Cubillo said.
"And to have an esteemed First Nations artist such as Archie Moore represent Australia on this global platform is something that all Australians can take pride in and celebrate.”
Curator and critic Ellie Buttrose from the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art has been chosen to curate Moore's exhibition. She acknowledged that Moore's artwork will be a timely point of reference around the real history and experience of First Nations peoples in Australia.
"Archie is singular in his ability to engage audiences on an emotional level through memories and familial stories in artworks that stimulate discussion about how we bear the responsibility for social change. Exhibiting at the Venice Biennale provides a timely and critical opportunity for Archie’s practice, offering an artistic outcome that will emotionally connect international audiences with the imperative act of truth-telling."
The 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia will be held from April 20 to November 24, 2024.
