Speak softly, tread heavily, 2019

“Each language has its own system, customs and etymology, and the construction of meaning in one doesn’t seamlessly interchange with that of another. As populism swings to the right, popular discourse pivots not on universal political agendas but on identifying who ‘we’ are: who is included and where the line of the other is drawn. The necessity to understand cultural perspectives other than our own is an increasingly urgent task.” - Sophie Williamson

We live in a multicultural society, according to the Cumberland Community Snapshot, 52% of the population was born overseas and 65.6% of the population of the local government area speak another language other than English. This alone, is just in the area where Peacock Gallery resides and does not take in to account the rest of Sydney, New South Wales or even Australia. It is a fact we cannot deny and rather one that we should embrace.

Speak softly, tread heavily is a group exhibition that brings together different perspectives and experiences of navigating culture, traditions and languages within a multicultural society and the translation of cultures and how we perceive them.

Artists: Roberta Rich, Katayoun Javan, Naomi Segal, Linda Sok, Moorina Bonini, Nadia Hernandez, Zoe Wong, Kevin Diallo and Mojgan Habibi.

Presented at Peacock Gallery, Auburn

Photo credit: Ellen Dahl