The Art, Voice & Justice Exhibition: ‘Aquawhen II?‘ was from 22 March to 25 March 2022. The purpose of the exhibition was to showcase the ‘voice’, art and the lived experience of the people living in far western New South Wales in 2019. The exhibition featured the words of 33 residents of Menindee and Wilcannia who gave testimonies before the 2019 Citizens’ Inquiry on the Health of the Barka-Darling River and Menindee Lakes. Their words, and the images that they represent as developed by artists Rix Lee and Tom Horne, are featured in full-sized visualisations.

The exhibition also included 9 paintings of Glenn Loughrey; 8 haiku calligraphy pieces (words by Maurice Nevile with calligraphy by Jill Robertson); a video of 2019-20 of the Barka-Darling (created by Otis Filley & Dan Schulz) that included the sounds of the Barka-Darling and the relationships between water and life; and ‘Justice Posters’ based on the selected research of some members of the Water Justice Hub.

Formally launching the exhibition was Dr Aunty Matilda House, Dr Michelle Maloney from the Australian Earth Laws Alliance, artist Glenn Loughrey, Crawford School’s Interim Director, Professor Renee Fry-McKibbin. Water Justice Hub Convenor Professor Quentin Grafton described the event:

“This exhibition is a unique opportunity to connect to people, to place and across time. It’s an ‘everywherewhen’ experience that invites everyone from everywhere to connect to water in a very special place. We call this experience Aquawhen II?”.