Renowned for our innovative curatorial approaches to culturally significant projects, Blaklash is process-driven, with cultural integrity and community ownership at the heart of what we create.

First Nations perspectives are relational and holistic and are interwoven in the ecosystem with fundamental methodologies to ensure the survival of all living things.

Centred on First Nations agency, we focus on the community and their needs, aspirations, desires and vision. Enriching public spaces to strengthen the connection between people and Country.

COUNTRY

Country is living, constantly changing, and evolving. Our work seeks to synthesise stories of place, narratives of community and the essences of Country in meaningful, realistic and deliverable spatial outcomes.

COMMUNITY

Our team have extensive experience working in partnership with the community to develop community-celebrated projects that embed site-specific First Nations narratives within public art curation, design and the built environment.

PLACEMAKING

More than just promoting better design, First Nations placemaking facilitates creative patterns of use, paying particular attention to the physical, cultural, and social identities that define a place and support its ongoing evolution.

PUBLIC ART

Presenting art that expresses community values and enhances our local environment, transforming our understanding of place to heighten awareness and/or question assumptions about Indigenous culture.

Our Team

  • Troy Casey

    Troy Casey

    Kamilaroi

    MANAGING DIRECTOR

    Troy is passionate about harnessing economic opportunities to create positive social change for First Nations Australians. He combines his extensive community engagement experience spanning the government, not-for-profit and higher education sectors, with his curatorial practice, working collaboratively with communities to ensure First Nations voices are embedded across projects within public art, placemaking, and urban design.

  • Amanda Hayman

    Kalkadoon / Wakka Wakka

    DIRECTOR

    Amanda is a creative thinker and has expertise in contemporary Aboriginal art, exhibition curation and activating spaces. She has a particular interest in social history in relation to place, especially First Nations oral histories and living memories, and enjoys working in partnership with artists and designers to creatively express these narratives. Central to this, is her aspiration to design a positive audience experience whilst also embedding Indigenous perspectives in an attempt to foster empathy and work towards national reconciliation.

  • Erin McDonald

    Erin McDonald

    Mandandanji

    ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

    Erin McDonald is a proud Aboriginal woman who embeds her culture throughout the design process. She pushes the boundaries through a holistic approach in translating Indigenous technologies to embed cultural identity into the built environment. Erin is passionate about educating designers to think innovatively in an approach to provide economic growth for communities.

  • Owen Cafe

    Owen Cafe

    Whadjuk-Pindjarup

    PRINCIPAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

    As a proud Whadjuk-Pindjarup man is passionately driven by a sense of purpose to improve the environmental and cultural interfaces throughout the community with a focus on First Nations perspectives. Coming from a diverse background in Photography, Graphic Design, Higher Education Teaching, and Landscape Architecture, Owen has developed a holistic approach to design, communication, and an adaptability to drive positive outcomes for communities and environments that are relevant now and into the future.

  • Tahlia Steadman

    Ngemba

    PRINCIPAL

    Tahlia brings strong project delivery experience with a focus on architectural integration to ensure cultural authenticity is embedded throughout each project stage. With skills in stakeholder management, client relations, and oversight of multidisciplinary teams, she provides support to the Blaklash design team across all projects.

  • Sam Harrison

    Sam Harrison

    Kamilaroi / Wiradjuri

    PROJECT OFFICER

    Sam Harrison is an emerging Brisbane-based artist and curator. He completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting) in 2018 from the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne. Sam has worked in a number of creative capacities, as an exhibiting artist, curator, artist assistant, board member and arts teacher for young adults with autism. He has a keen interest in exploring how art functions in urban settings to create healthy, inclusive and enjoyable environments.

  • Christopher Bassi

    Meriam / Yupangathi

    ART & DESIGN

    Christopher Bassi is an artist and designer. Chris is Principal in Art & Design with Blaklash Creative, after working for a number of years with Brisbane based art and design firm UAP. His specific focus is on the intersections of placemaking, arts practice, and designing for social outcomes. Chris is skilled at determining culturally appropriate methodologies for embedding First Nation’s experience and agency into the built environment.