6 May – 11 Oct 2019

Ancestral Memory

Ancestral Memory tells the story of water on the lands of the Kulin Nation. Diving into the history of Old Quad’s location, the Kulin Nation, cultural advisor Jefa Greenaway says, ‘[w]hat transpired from this research was that the story of water has always been and continues to be very important to this place. It is a story that traverses the campus.’ A powerful demonstration of resilience, Clarke’s Ancestral Memory launches the Old Quad into the next chapter while keeping a firm grasp on the past.

Maree Clarke is a Mutti Mutti/Wemba Wemba/Yorta Yorta/Boon Wurrung artist. A renowned cultural ‘revivifyer’, Clarke has been active in reclaiming the visual/material culture of her Ancestors and re-thinking this in line with her lived experiences as a contemporary southeast Australian Aboriginal artist.

Weekdays from 6 May

Towards a glass monument

Commissioned to celebrate the re-launch of the historic Old Quad, Towards a glass monument comprises two screens of stained glass, each measuring over four metres in length and five metres in height, as well as six cast bronze plaques providing context for the piece and its history. The design for the commission originated from two lithographs of Mesozoic ferns which were fossilized in sandstone. The lithographs were published in Prodromus to the Palaeontology of Victoria: or, Figures and Descriptions of Victorian Organic Remains, 1874, written by Frederick McCoy, one of the University of Melbourne’s first four professors.

Tom Nicholson is a Melbourne based artist known for large-scale projects and drawing-based work. He is an alumnus of the University of Melbourne and is Senior Lecturer in Drawing at Monash Art Design & Architecture (MADA), Monash University.

28 Oct - 22 Nov 2019

Discover the Digital Archive

Old Quad presents, Discover the Digital Archive , an exclusive installation which offers unprecedented access to the newly developed VCA Film and Television Digital Archive. This Archive is the first of its kind within the University of Melbourne’s Cultural Collection, making it an evolving and vital time-capsule, which up until now has remained closed to the public. Developed thanks to The Digital Archive Project, it brings together work from Film and Television students dating back to 1966, including around 500 celluloid films and more than 1,200 magnetic. The Archive in its entirety is only available at Old Quad during this bespoke exhibition, making this experience a once-off opportunity for engagement and research. Audiences may browse the collection at their leisure or peruse a special 'Old Quad' playlist curated by passionate University of Melbourne film students and featuring range of significant works from different eras and genres.

Coming in 2020

Multivocal

Multivocal celebrates the creation, performance and experience of music at the University of Melbourne, past and present. From formal musical education, to student-led musical societies, Indigenous music, and world music traditions, this exhibition explores the ways in which music has enriched the lives of people in the University community and beyond. Showcasing objects and audio from the diverse cultural collections of the University as well as new music commissions, the exhibition draws visitors into the sounds and stories of the many people who have contributed to this richly polyphonic landscape.