Behind the scenes: an exploration of SAM’s exhibition The Land Is Us

Central to the exhibition are the perspectives of First Nations people, settlers and migrants, inviting viewers to question their concept of ‘home(s)’ through diverse lenses.

The News reporter Kady Hadjab recently chatted with SAM chief executive Melinda Martin about the exhibition’s genesis, from the collaborative partnership with the NGV and the meticulous selection of artworks, to the profound resonance they create when combined.

Melinda, how long did it take to put this exhibition together?

We’ve been working on the show for about 18 months. There have been a lot of conversations between our team and the NGV team to select the artwork.

It required an in-depth ongoing exchange of ideas with the NGV team; for instance, when we would select a piece, they would sometimes contact us back to say, “We think this might be an interesting work for you to have”, and these conversations helped us curate artworks that would resonate with our visitors.

Many of the pieces were in storage at the NGV; sharing them with our visitors at SAM is an honour.

What thought process went into selecting work?

In the NGV’s archived collection, there were thousands and thousands of artworks to choose from; we had to ask ourselves, “Which ones could tell an interesting story?” and “Which artworks could resonate with our community?”

Works depicting local landscapes, such as those by Arthur Streeton, or evoking familiar feelings, such as the road trips of our childhood, as seen in John Brack’s The Car, where characters move through space against a backdrop of passing landscapes, can be found in this exhibition.

This collaboration with the NGV has fostered interesting conversations about bringing and putting the works together. As a result, The Land Is Us presents an eclectic collection of artworks spanning various eras, gaining a new meaning through their new juxtaposition.

How do you determine which artwork goes where?

Crafting an exhibition is a team effort. It’s a close collaboration between our exhibition curators and our exhibition manager. We first meticulously create a model of the space, virtually arranging the artworks together, and move them around until we are satisfied with the results.

That way, we know where everything goes before we install them in space. Although the installation process took two (long!) days, we knew where everything was going since we had all the necessary conversations.

Curating an exhibition revolves around engaging in conversations about the artworks first, sitting together to contemplate how they could intertwine to narrate a story, and then strategically placing them within the space.

Can you tell us more about some of the artworks?

Each artwork showcased in our exhibition has been meticulously selected, with our community at the forefront of our minds.

As part of our exhibition, we aimed to delve into the journey of migrant and refugee experience. For instance, Ben Quilty contributed a series of paintings portraying life jackets.

Quilty created this series during his time in Greece, capturing the reality faced by those embarking on this perilous journey. There, he witnessed first-hand the arrival of migrants fleeing Africa, often being rescued off the coast wearing life jackets.

Presenting such artwork at SAM allows us to foster important conversations like this one because, for many members of our community, these aren’t just distant narratives — they are lived experiences.

There’s a tangible sense of loss and sadness as refugees and migrants often have to make difficult decisions to relocate themselves or their families in pursuit of safety and security.

Which piece is your favourite?

It’s such a hard question! I love Rosemary Laing’s Groundspeed (Red Plazza) #2, as it reminds me of the beautiful moss gardens you see in Japan. It makes me want to walk in the landscape, even though I know it’s not real.

But I’m pretty sure I would pick a different favourite if you asked me the same question tomorrow!

• Don’t miss out on The Land Is Us, on display at SAM until September 1. The exhibition is free.