Brook Andrew: ‘GABAN’

To celebrate the opening of its new building, the Art Gallery of New South Wales presents the world-premiere performance of GABAN, written and directed by Brook Andrew, an interdisciplinary artist of the Wiradjuri Nation, recognised for his investigation of dominant Western narratives and the history of colonialism.

Set in an ethnographic museum, community hall and a forest, the performance summons several interlinked stories concerning the mess of the colonial fallout, including amnesia, violence, repatriation and revenge. Brook Andrew describes GABAN (a Wiradjuri word meaning ‘strange’) as ngarranga-birdyulang dhadharra (post-traumatic theatre).

GABAN is performed by an extraordinary group of creatives: Rosell Flatley, Brian Fuata, Dimitri Kleioris, Kameron Locke, Budi Miller, Akala Newman, Aaron Reeder, Red Rey, Benjamin Skepper, Latai Taumoepeau, Kilia Tipa and House of Slé (Davina, Fetu, Talo and Xuela). Budi Miller is dramaturg, Cherie Schweitzer is creative producer.

The work is supported by the Goethe-Institut and the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Melbourne. Kameron Locke and Aaron Reeder are currently in residence at the Goethe-Institut in Sydney.

• Performance: GABAN, written and directed by Brook Andrew
• Dates: Saturday 3 December and Sunday 4 December 2022
• Times: 2pm and 6pm
• Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Venue: Art Gallery of NSW, Ground Level
• Entry: A free booked ticket is required to visit the Art Gallery of NSW during the opening weekend (3–4 December 2022). Tickets can be booked here. All attendees to GABAN must register for the performance at the welcome desk on the ground floor, up to 2 hours before the performance.