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Current Exhibition

2009 March 30 - July 3

Bridge of Memories

 

Bridge of Memories is an exhibition that explores the complexities of "identity" through the personal experiences of Chinese Australians who have migrated from many parts of the Asia Pacific region.

 

The exhibition provides an understanding of the diverse cultural make up of the Chinese Community from China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam.

 

The exhibition highlights the various changing world economic, social and political circumstances over the past 50 years, during which time over 500,000 Chinese have migrated to Australia, impacting on the make-up of today's multicultural society.

 

The exhibition is being jointly researched and supported by the Australian National University - Faculty of Asian Studies.

 

 

2009 March 13 - December 31

Photographic Exhibition: Chinese New Year Celebrations - Dragon

 

An exhibition showing how people celebrating Chinese New Year and the different expression of DRAGON in the parade.  Mr. Wilfred Kwok got photograhic awards in Hong Kong and was the one taking professional photos during Dragon Parade in Melbourne.  Photos are for sale!!

 

Future Exhibitions

Travelling Exhibitions

2009

An Australian Way of Life

 

An Australian Way of Life celebrates the achievements and contribution of 12 Chinese Australians to Australian society, culture and commerce over the past 150 years.

                                                           

Chinese presence in Australia dates back to before the gold rush of the 1850s, but it was with the discovery of gold in Victoria that large waves of Chinese came to what they called the New Gold Mountain. Some of the Chinese men who came to Australia during this time, and who stayed after the gold rush, became extremely successful; men like Louis Ah Mouy, the first to send word of the gold rush to China, and Lowe Kong Meng, said to be one of the wealthiest men in Victoria in the 1880s.

 

Immigration restriction through the 1901 White Australia Policy caused Chinese immigration to shrink dramatically. A rising generation of Australian-born, well-educated, bicultural leaders came to the fore.  William Ah Ket, an outstanding barrister, was a leading Chinese advocate at the turn of the century.

 

In recent times, Chinese Australians have been recognised for their achievements in areas as diverse as medicine, mathematics and music. Heart surgeon Dr Victor Chang was a pioneer of the modern heart transplant. Mathematician Terence Tao was awarded the most prestigious prize in mathematics, the Fields Medal, in 2006. John Williams is internationally renowned as a classical guitarist.

                                   

The exhibition and touring program has been supported by the Australian Consulate in Guangzhou, China, and Austrade in Taipei, Taiwan, to promote the long term contribution that Chinese people have made to Australian society. It has travelled throughout Chinese and is currently touring in Taiwan.