Curated and hosted by writer Ellen Van Neerven (Mununjali), Poetic Intentions invites writers and poets to share their writings, lyricism, and truth-telling in the gallery space across two evenings.

For its first evening, we welcome artist Aurora Liddle-Christie, writer Vika Mana, and award-winning poet Samuel Wagan Watson. Find out more about the second evening here.

This live activation is presented as a part of Daniel Boyd: Rainbow Serpent (Version).

COVID-19 Advice

The IMA strongly encourages mask-wearing onsite in the galleries and for events to keep our community safe. If you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or are feeling unwell, please stay home. ⁠

Accessibility

We are committed to making the IMA accessible to people of all abilities, their families, and carers, as well as visitors of different ages and different backgrounds.

The gallery entrance is on the ground floor of the Judith Wright Arts Centre, on Berwick Street. There is wheelchair access and an accessible toilet with baby changing facilities also located on the ground floor, and we welcome guide and support dogs.

If you plan to attend this event and have specific support needs we can accommodate, please contact engagement@ima.org.au, call (07) 3252 5750, or ask our friendly staff on-site. Read our access information for visitors here.⁠

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Guest Biographies

Aurora Liddle-Christie is an Arrernte and Jamaican multidisciplinary artist. Her practice draws on the experiences of people of colour and First Nations people, intersecting themes of decolonisation, walking between worlds, healing, and reconnection to Country.

Vika Mana is a Torres Strait Islander and Tongan storyteller. They descend from the Zagareb and Dauareb tribes of Mer Island and the village of Fahefa in Tonga. They perform poetry, write criticism, breathe life into worlds. They have written for Overland, The Big Issue, the Saturday Paper, and more. Mana is also a part of the FAMILI collective, rapping about Afros and abolition. In 2019, Mana was chosen as one of ten writers to be a part of The Next Chapter scheme at the Wheeler Centre.

Samuel Wagan Watson is an award-winning Indigenous poet and professional raconteur. Born in Brisbane in 1972, he is of Munanjali, Birri Gubba, German and Irish descent. His first collection of poems won the 1999 David Unaipon Award. His fourth collection, Smoke Encrypted Whispers won the 2005 NSW Premier’s Award for the Book of the Year and the Kenneth Slessor poetry prize. In 2018, he was the recipient of The Patrick White Literary Award for his significant contribution to Australian literature.