Julie Gough

Julie Gough

Julie Gough is an installation, sound, and video artist, writer, and a curator of First People’s Art and Culture at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in Hobart. Gough’s research and art practice involves uncovering and re-presenting subsumed and often conflicting histories  often referring to herher family’s experiences as Tasmanian Aboriginal people.  She was born in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia) in 1965, and has lived mostly in Tasmania since the end of 1993. Julie’s paternal heritage is mostly Scottish and Irish. Julie is Trawlwoolway through  her maternal family, and her Traditional homeland is Tebrikunna  in  far north eastern Lutruwita / Tasmania, her Briggs-Johnson-Gower family  have lived  in the  Latrobe / East Devonport region of the island since the 1840s.  

Woretemoeteyenner, also known as Margaret and Bung, was one of the four daughters of east coast leader, Mannalargenna. She was born in the late 1790s on Country. She lived much of her adult life in the Furneaux Islands, including on Preservation, Clarke and Cape Barren Islands, where at least four of her children to then sealer / straitsman George Briggs were born, including Julie’s ancestor Dalrymple Briggs (aka Dolly)  born c.1808-1812 (according to her obituary) on (little) Kangaroo Island near Flinders Island. Julie is descended from their 9th child of 13, Charlotte Johnson who married James Henry Gower.

In 1841 Dalrymple petitioned the Government for the release of her mother from incarceration at Wybalenna on Flinders Island, where her grandfather Mannalargenna had died six years earlier (Tasmanian Archives, CO280/133, 171-171a). With the support of influential Port Officer and Dunorlan neighbour, William Moriarty, the petition was successful and Woretemoeteyenner lived her final years with her daughter, son in law, and grandchildren.

Julie holds a PhD from the University of Tasmania (2001), Masters degree (Visual Arts) University of London (Goldsmiths College)(1998), BA (Visual Arts) Curtin University West Australia (1994), BA Honours (Visual Arts) First Class, University of Tasmania (1995) and BA (Prehistory/ English Literature), University of West Australia (1987).

Since 1991 Julie has exhibited in 29 solo and 181 group exhibitions including: Rivus: Biennale of Sydney, 2022; Ever Present, National Gallery of Australia and National Gallery of Singapore, 2021-2022; Tarnanthi, Art Gallery of South Australia, 2021; Eucalyptusdom, Powerhouse Museum, NSW, 2021; TENSE PAST, TMAG, 2019; Divided Worlds, Adelaide Biennial, 2018; Defying Empire, NGA (National Gallery of Australia), 2017; THE NATIONAL, Museum of Contemporary Art, NSW, 2017; With Secrecy and Despatch, Campbelltown Arts Centre, 2016; UNDISCLOSED, NGA, 2012; Clemenger Award, National Gallery of Victoria, 2010; Biennale of Sydney, 2006; Liverpool Biennial, UK, 2001; Perspecta, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 1995.

Publications include: Tense Past (Tebrikunna Press, 2021); Fugitive History (UWA Press, 2018); Shale (A Published Event, 2018).

Gough’s art works are held in many private and most Australian public collections including The National Gallery of Australia, The National Gallery of Victoria, The Art Gallery of New South Wales, The Art Gallery of South Australia, The Art Gallery of West Australia, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, National Museum of Australia, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery Launceston.

For more detailed information refer to the online cv: https://juliegough.net/cv/

Julie is represented by Bett Gallery, Hobart. https://www.bettgallery.com.au/