Koori Knockout: 50 Years
Exhibition at the State Library of NSW
September 2022
This exhibition celebrated the 50th anniversary of one of the most popular First Nations sporting events in Australia.
My role as exhibition designer included concept design, detail design development, construction drawings, production management and installation.
The concept is inspired by Aboriginal people describing the Koori Knockout as a modern day corroboree, as it's the largest annual gathering of Aboriginal people in NSW. The central circular exhibition structure references traditional Aboriginal gathering and corroboree sites such as bora rings. It's constructed from timber posts of different heights, to evoke trees in the country, as the Knockout travels around the state, hosted by the previous year's winner, usually in country locations.
The 2 x outside walls of the central structure hold the exhibition stories. These story walls tell all of the Koori Knockout stories using text, photos and audio and film (utilising ear cup handsets) and objects housed in recessed showcases.
The inside of the structure has built-in seating, a large screen with rolling footage, and evokes the atmosphere of being at the Koori Knockout. The sound of the game, on a directional speaker above the seats, wafts out to the rest of the exhibition, drawing the visitors in.
Curator - Ronald Briggs
Graphic Designer - Dom Hon
Project Manager - Catherine Timbrell
Build - Palm Beach Design
