I was privileged enough to meet an African-Australian creative by the name of Nadia Faragaab who attended the African Film Festival in Melbourne.

A Somali-Australian, Nadia became one of the first Somali person in Australia to exhibit a collection at the Blak Dot Gallery in Melbourne last year. The exhibition titled ‘Kronologies’ was aimed at highlighting and debating the lack of representation of Somali people within the Australian culture. Nadia also wanted to empower the Somali community by showcasing its culture through a juxtaposition of the old and new.

As a Somali-Australian myself, it is always refreshing (and at times rare) to meet fellow Somalis who use art and creativity to express their identity and to tackle big issues. When I talked to Nadia about her role as an artist, it was clear that she saw art as a way to not only preserve traditional culture, but a start to moving forward as African-Australians and taking the lead in promoting African culture in Australia.

There is a growing interest in African culture in Australia and it is quite crucial that African-Australians play a large and leading role in the cultivation of this growth. I am definitely looking forward to seeing more from Nadia

SOURCE: MADAALE & BLACK DOT GALLERY