REGISTRATIONS ESSENTIAL:

Building 202, Room 122
Fine Art, Curtin University, Bentley
1 and 2 February 2025

What is the art that comes after war? How do visual artists address the trauma of war and life after conflict?

In the last thirty years, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, and Timor-Leste each emerged from different versions of hell on earth, from war, genocide and horror, and the destruction of hundreds of thousands of people. Yet peace can often be hard work and life in a post-conflict society is very different in each of these countries.

This symposium, Art of Peace: Art after War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda and Timor-Leste, brings together three artists from each of these countries to discuss their work in the Art of Peace exhibition, on display from 1 February to 29 June 2025 at the Art Gallery of Western Australia.

Artists include:

Adela Jušić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Mladen Miljanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) via video
Aida Šehović (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Teta Chel (Rwanda)
Cedric Mizero (Rwanda)
Innocent Nkurunziza (Rwanda)

Inu Bere (Timor-Leste)
Dr Maria Madeira (Timor-Leste)
Bernardino Soares (Timor-Leste)

CONTENT WARNING: Attendees are warned that the symposium includes topics that visitors may find distressing, including war, genocide, violence and sexual violence. If these topics raise issues, please call Lifeline Australia 13 11 14.

Day 1: Saturday 1 February 2025

9:30am	Registration
10:00am	Session 1: 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM *Introduction: Art of Peace* Prof Kit Messham-Muir (Curtin) Assoc Prof Sarah Minslow (Cal State LA) Dr Vannesa Hearman (Curtin) Researchers from the Art of Peace project from the three teams that travelled to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda and Timor-Leste introduce the work of the Art of Peace project.
10.45am	Morning Tea/Coffee Break
11:15am	Session 2: 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM *Art of Peace: Timor Leste* Chair: Naldo Rei (Timor-Leste) Inu Bere (Timor-Leste) Dr Maria Madeira (Timor-Leste) Bernardino Soares (Timor-Leste) Presentations followed by Questions and Discussion The artists from Timor-Leste featured in the Art of Peace exhibition discuss their work.
12.45pm	Lunch
1:45pm	Session 3: 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM *Art of Peace: Rwanda* Chair: Talia Lieber (UCLA) Teta Chel (Rwanda) via video Cedric Mizero (Rwanda) Innocent Nkurunziza (Rwanda) via video Presentations followed by Questions and Discussion The artists from Rwanda featured in the Art of Peace exhibition discuss their work.
3:15pm	Session 4: 3:15 PM - 4:45 PM *Art of Peace: Bosnia and Herzegovina* Chair: A/Prof Uroš Čvoro (University of New South Wales) via video Adela Jušić (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Mladen Miljanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) via video Aida Šehović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Presentations followed by Questions and Discussion The artists from Bosnia and Herzegovina featured in the Art of Peace exhibition discuss their work.
4.45pm	End

Day 2: Sunday 2 February 2025

9.30am	Arrival
10:00am	Session 5: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM The Art of Peace Exhibition: Curators’ and Artists’ Responses Chair: Dr Ana Dević (Aix-Marseille University ) Robert Cook (Art of Peace co-curator, Art Gallery of Western Australia) Prof Kit Messham-Muir (Art of Peace co-curator, Curtin) Cedric Mizero (Art of Peace exhibiting artist, Rwanda) Aida Šehović (Art of Peace exhibiting artist, Bosnia and Herzegovina) Dr Maria Madeira (Art of Peace exhibiting artist, Timor-Leste) Bahar Sayed (Art of Peace co-curator, independent curator) Presentations followed by Questions and Discussion The curators and exhibiting artists of the Art of Peace exhibition discuss the exhibition with the project lead
11:00am	Coffee break
11:30am	Session 6: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Carrolup Tour: Curtin University's Carrolup Collection at the John Curtin Gallery, Curtin University A/Prof Susanna Castleden Ron Bradfield Jnr The Carrolup Collection is a collection of art by children taken from their families and detained at the Carrolup Native Settlement in Western Australia’s Great Southern region. Carrolup was part of Australia's brutal policy of forced segregation and assimilation, aimed at removing lighter-skinned children from their parents. It was designed to breed out the Aboriginal population over time.
12.30pm	Lunch
2:00pm	Session 7: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM *Western War Art: Past, Present and Future* Chair: Dr Wulan Dirgantoro (University of Melbourne) Prof Charles Green (University of Melbourne) Lyndell Brown (artist) Emeritus Prof Jon Cattapan (University of Melbourne) Presentation followed by Questions and Discussion Leading Australian artists and former Australian Official War Artists, Lyndell Brown, Charles Green and Jon Cattapan, discuss the role of the Western war artist in overseas conflicts.
3:30pm	Session 8: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM *The Generation After* Chair: Laura Kevan (Curtin) Inu Bere (Timor-Leste) Teta Chel (Rwanda) via video Milena Ivić (Bosnia and Herzegovina) via video Presentation followed by Questions and Discussion Post-conflict artists exhibiting in the Art of Peace exhibition discuss art, culture and life today in Rwanda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Timor-Leste
4:30pm	Session 9: 4:30 PM - 4:45 PM *Remembering Paul Lowe* Prof Kit Messham-Muir (Curtin) A tribute to the life and work of our colleague Prof Paul Lowe (University of the Arts London), Art of Peace researcher and acclaimed war photographer who brought the world images from the Siege of Sarajevo, as well as Rwanda, Somalia and other conflicts
4:45pm	End

* Timetable subject to change without notice.

The symposium is organised by Curtin University. This is not an Art Gallery of Western Australia event.