Institute of Modern Art

1515 For his solo exhibition at the IMA, Ryan Presley is developing new work as part of his ongoing project, Blood Money (2010–present), which deals with representation and exchange. In these works he reimagines our banknotes’ figureheads as the heroes and warriors of Aboriginal history, including Pemulwuy, Dundalli , and Oodgeroo Noonuccal . Alongside these paintings, the artist will stage a participatory currency exchange where visitors will be able to directly participate in the work by exchanging Australian dollars (AUD) for printed Blood Money currency (BMD). Prosperity is supported by the Australia Council for the Arts and Arts Queensland. Dr. Ryan Presley was born in 1987 in Alice Springs. His father’s family is Marri Ngarr and originate from the Moyle River region in the Northern Territory. He currently lives and works in Brisbane. His work was included in the 33rd Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards in Darwin, Frontier Imaginaries: No Longer at Ease at the IMA, and was featured in the 2016 TarraWarra Biennial: Endless Circulation .