FREE Kids Summer Festival Art Activities in Cooktown Sat 15 January 2011

A ground-breaking exhibition open from 13–23 January 2011 will mark the end of the first decade of this millennium. Titled ‘21st Century: Art in the First Decade’ it will occupy the entire Gallery of Modern Art and focus exclusively on works created between 2000 and 2010. It will feature over 140 artists from more than 40 countries.

The 21st Century Kids Summer Festival over the summer holidays celebrates the unique ways we have lived our lives in the first decade of the 21st century, and asks us to imagine what the future of our world might hold!

The action-packed 11-day program features a series of exciting new media performances, artist-run workshops and activities, as well as a future-themed animation program at the Australian Cinémathèque.

In Cooktown! 21st Century Kids Summer Festival on Tour
10.30am – 2.30pm Saturday 15 January 2011 in Elizabeth Guzsely Gallery
When all Queenslanders are invited to participate in a free day of activities being held at more than 50 regional and remote galleries simultaneously with the GOMA as a part of the 21st Century Kids Summer Festival to encourage children to explore and discover the fresh and imaginative ways that international artists consider their world in the 21st Century. Children and families are invited to participate in this one-day program of activities.

ARTISTS ACTIVITIES COMING TO COOKTOWN
Tony Albert Alien nation embassy 2008
Tony Albert invites all earthlings to become honorary citizens of the Alien Nation — but not before passing the citizenship test! Those who complete the test and become citizens receive a special Alien Nation citizenship certificate and card to show that they are part of the Alien Nation.

Justine Cooper The call of the wild 2006
This interactive game is especially for visitors under 5. Set in a natural history museum similar to those seen in Justine Cooper’s artworks, the aim of the game is to free trapped animals from the lockers and return them to their natural habitats.

Fiona Hall Fly away home 2010
Australian artist Fiona Hall has translated her interest in the migratory patterns of birds and nest-making into a hands-on activity. Young visitors make their own species of bird using templates and paper money created by the artist.

Romuald Hazoumè (MIB) Made in Brisbane 2010
Beninese artist Romuald Hazoumè travelled to Brisbane to conduct workshops with local high school students to create a large scale installation especially for ‘21st Century Kids’. As part of 21st Century Kids Summer Festival on Tour, visitors will have the chance to view this series of short documentaries which provide insights and highlights of this unique experience and the relationship built between the artist and students over the two week period.

Bharti Kher Nothing is ordinary 2006
Indian artist, Bharti Kher makes art with very small stickers called bindis, making pictures with them and sticking them on her sculptures. For 21st Century Kids Summer Festival on Tour, Bharti Kher has designed a special bindi for visitors to decorate themselves with before exploring the other activities.

Jorge Méndez Blake Discover Treasure Island 2010
In the Gallery of Modern Art’s Children’s Art Centre, Mexican artists Jorge Méndez Blake has created large murals based on Jorge’s favourite novel as a child - author Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale Treasure Island. For 21st Century Kids Summer Festival on Tour, children are invited to listen to a CD of swashbuckling sounds and draw a picture that illustrates what they are hearing.

Campbell Patterson Yes yes, no no 2010
New Zealand artist Campbell Patterson makes videos of himself that are funny, odd and fascinating. Campbell has created a list of challenges especially for children to do. Children are invited to watch his video, ‘Lifting my mother for as long as I can’, then complete the challenges and think of other funny activities they can perform.

John Pule Drawing words 2006
John Pule is an artist, writer and poet whose art works often combine words and images. Pule’s large-scale collarborative drawing project invites everyone to engage with Niunean legends and culture by responding to the artist’s word paintings.

Rirkrit Tiravanija Untitled (time sausage) 2010
The work of artist Rirkrit Tiravanija aims to bring visitors together and create living artworks in art galleries and museums. Tiravanija’s work for 21st Century Kids on Tour invites generations of children and their grandparents to share family histories, stories and images. Children and their parents or grandparents are invited to share family histories, stories and images.

Rivane Neuenschwander I wish your wish 2003
Inspired by a Brazilian tradition, Rivane Neuenschwander invites visitors to select and tie people’s wishes to their wrists. According to the tradition, the wish is granted when the ribbon eventually falls off.

Interviews with some of the artists can be viewed at http://21cblog.com/category/interviews/