A Groundbreaking Exhibition Amplifying First Nations Voices with Disability
A powerful and deeply moving exhibition, Unfinished Business, has opened at the Australian Museum (AM) in Sydney, offering an intimate glimpse into the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with disabilities.
Through striking 3D lenticular portraits, personal stories, and a thought-provoking new installation, the exhibition sheds light on the resilience, strength, and diversity of First Nations people with disability across Australia.
Created by Sydney-based human rights documentarian Belinda Mason OAM, alongside Dieter and Liam Knierim, and in collaboration with the First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN), Unfinished Business is a profound exploration of identity, community, and the intersection of ableism and racism. The exhibition features 30 participants from remote, regional, and urban communities, each sharing their story in their own words, challenging perceptions and sparking vital conversations.
A milestone
Australian Museum Director and CEO, Kim McKay AO, described the exhibition as a landmark moment for accessibility and representation.
“This is a profoundly important exhibition that speaks to inclusion and truth-telling,” McKay said. “Each story is told on the participants’ own terms, with each selecting their own words, narrators, and imagery. For the first time, we are proud to present this exhibition in a more accessible format, ensuring even more visitors can experience these powerful First Nations stories in meaningful ways.”
The AM has worked closely with Vision Australia and Expression Australia to ensure the exhibition is accessible to all. Features include tactile panels, audio descriptions, Auslan interpretation, and large-print materials. Visitors can also access an Audio Description Tour, an Auslan Tour, and audio of exhibition labels via QR codes, both onsite and online.
Laura McBride, the Australian Museum’s Director of First Nations, emphasised the importance of accessibility in the exhibition’s design.
“This exhibition reflects the Museum’s commitment to creating spaces that are culturally grounded and accessible. It’s critical to recognise that ableism and racism compound the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with disabilities—this intersection of oppression remains unfinished business,” McBride said.
From Geneva to Sydney
Unfinished Business first launched in 2013 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, presented by the United Nations. Since then, it has travelled the world, but this is the first time it has been presented in such an accessible format.
Belinda Mason OAM, the exhibition’s creator, highlighted the importance of amplifying the voices of First Nations people with disability.
“Unfinished Business amplifies the voices of First Nations people with disability who have too often been unheard. Each portrait and story comes directly from the person pictured. The lenticular portraits bring these stories to life, creating a sense of movement and depth that mirrors the complexity of each individual experience,” Mason said.
Confronting the realities
A new installation, Not Fit for Purpose, created by Uncle John Baxter—a Latja Latja and Narungga Elder and one of the exhibition’s participants—confronts visitors with the harsh realities of Australia’s disability support systems. The installation features outdated mobility equipment, highlighting the challenges and prohibitive costs of obtaining modern aids, particularly in regional and remote areas where infrastructure is lacking.
Uncle John, a respected cultural advocate and the 2025 AM Mob at the Museum Cultural Resident, uses the installation to draw attention to the systemic barriers faced by people with disabilities in Australia. Visitors can also meet Uncle John at the exhibition to hear his reflections on culture, identity, and resilience.
“We’re particularly honoured to have Uncle John Baxter as a cultural collaborator on this exhibition,” McBride said. “His decades of advocacy for cultural identity, justice, and inclusion embody the exhibition’s spirit of truth and respect.”
Addressing a critical social justice
The exhibition also highlights a pressing social justice issue: nearly half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live with a disability or long-term health condition—almost double the rate of the non-Indigenous population. Yet, their stories are rarely seen or heard in mainstream cultural spaces.
Supported by The Balnaves Foundation, Unfinished Business raises the bar for inclusion and representation in museum practice, offering a platform for voices that have long been marginalised.
This is the exhibition
- What: Unfinished Business
- Where: Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney
- When: 1 November 2025 – 19 April 2026
- Entry: FREE
This free exhibition is a must-see for anyone interested in truth-telling, social justice, and the power of storytelling. Unfinished Business is not just an exhibition—it’s a call to action, a reminder of the work still to be done to achieve equity and inclusion for all Australians.