A unique opportunity to learn about the First Nations experience of incarceration at HM Prison Pentridge.

The Torch artist and Keerraaywoorrong man, Chris Austin will lead this talk and tour reflecting on how his art has been deeply influenced and informed by his own time spent behind the bluestone walls of Pentridge. Pentridge Prison Tours commissioned work from Chris Austin for both the Warder’s Residence and B-Division, and Chris’s personal and authentic storytelling is integral to the Pentridge Prison Tours experience.

The tour will commence in B-Division and alongside a National Trust guide, Chris will talk about his experience as an inmate at Pentridge and how he came to use art to express the culture of First Nations people and their experience of incarceration.

Following the tour, Chris will be showing a live painting of a new masterpiece with the opportunity for Q&A.

The B-Division tour runs at 10:30am-12pm followed by the live painting in Warders starting from 12:30pm.

Pre-bookings are highly recommended.

This event is being held as part of the 2024 Australian Heritage Festival (Victoria).

About Chris Austin

Chris is a Keerraaywoorrong man from the Gunditjmara Nation of south western Victoria. Chris is immensely proud of his culture and has found creating art and sharing stories has given him direction in his life. Chris believes that through creating art he is sharing his stories and passing it on to the younger generations.

Chris was featured in the documentary The Art of Incarceration that won the Best Australian Documentary at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival.