Associate Professor Sally Butler
Deputy Associate Dean (Academic)
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
+61 7 336 53037
Researcher biography
Sally Butler is a Reader in Art History.
Sally took up the position as lecturer in Art History at the University of Queensland in 2004 after a period as Art History lecturer at the Australian National Univeristy in Canberra. Visual arts industry experience includes working for the Queensland Art Gallery and a number of freelance curating projects, and several years as Associate Editor of Australian Art Collector magazine and one of the edtiors for the Australia and New Zealand Journal of Art. Sally regularly writes for Australian visual arts magazines, maintaining a particular interest in contemporary Australian art, Australian indigenous art and new media art.
Her research interests include cross-cultural critical theory, Australian Indigenous art, Australian contemporary art, photography and new media art. Current research includes: Indigenous art from Far North Queensland, Virtual Reality theory and photography, contemporary Queensland photography, and art and cultural tourism.
Publications
Books
Butler, Sally (2015). Cross pose: body language against the grain. Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland Art Museum.
Butler, Sally (2007). Our way: Contemporary Aboriginal art from Lockhart River. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: University of Queensland Press.
Book Chapters
Butler, Sally (2022). Shielding the spirit - Jennifer Herd (MBarbarum) and Joanne Currie (Gungurri). Veiled Histories, Works by leading First Nations artists Jennifer Herd (MBarbarum) and Joanne Currie (Gungurri). (pp. 22-29) edited by Caloundra Regional Gallery. Caloundra, QLD, Australia: Caloundra Regional Gallery.
Butler, Sally (2019). Facing melancholia: racial implications of the disengaged gaze. The persistence of melancholia in arts and culture. (pp. 163-175) edited by Andrea Bubenik. New York, United States: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780429468469-10
Butler, Sally (2018). Elisa Jane Carmichael: Will we swim together through the Saltwater waves?. Will we swim together through the Saltwater waves?. (pp. 1-2) Brisbane, Australia: Onespace Gallery.
Butler, Sally (2018). Repurposing cultural heritage collections: the aesthetics and meaning of reuse. Subverting consumerism: reuse in an accelerated world. (pp. 53-70) edited by Robert Crocker and Keri Chiveralls. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781315641812-4
Butler, Sally (2018). Indigeneity. Visual Global Politics. (pp. 189-195) edited by Roland Bleiker. New York, NY United States: Routledge.
Butler, Sally (2017). Die Kunst der Torres-Strait-Inseln. Australische Indigene Kunstausstellung im Skulpturenpark Westerberg, Kunstler Bei Wu 2017. (pp. 51-56) edited by David Ng, Peter W. Thompson, Philip Bracht and Holger Stephan. Germany: Kunstler Bei Wu and Holy Verlag.
Butler, Sally (2017). Secrecy sensuality and politics in the writings and spoken word of Sam Watson. Dave Hullfish Bailey + Sam Watson: CityCat Project 2006-2016. (pp. 96-97) edited by Rex Butler. Berlin, Germany: Sternberg Press.
Butler, Sally and Bleiker, Roland (2017). Embodied witnessing: Indigenous performance art as political dissent. Art as political witness. (pp. 99-115) edited by Kia Lindroos and Frank Moller. Berlin, Germany: Barbara Budrich Publishers.
Butler, Sally (2017). Australian indigenous art and literature. Worldmaking: literature, language, culture. (pp. 107-116) edited by Tom Clark, Emily Finlay and Phillipa Kelly. Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/fillm.5.09but
Butler, Sally (2017). 'Temporary belonging': Indigenous cultural tourism and community art centres. Performing cultural tourism: communities, tourists and creative practices. (pp. 13-28) edited by Susan Carson and Mark Pennings. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781315174464
Butler, Sally (2017). Ghost Nets Art & Global Ecology/Art des 'filets fantômes' et écologie globale. Territoire du rêve: art aborigène contemporain/Country of the dreaming: contemporary Aboriginal art. (pp. 242-277) Paris, France: ARTEOS.
Butler, Sally (2015). Alick Tipoti's 'on-beat' art: rhythm, cosmology & continuity. Alick Tipoti Zugubal: Ancestral Spirits. (pp. 30-40) edited by Sally Butler. Cairns, QLD, Australia: Cairns Regional Gallery.
Butler, Sally (2015). Introduction. Alick Tipoti Zugubal: Ancestral Spirits. (pp. 5-7) edited by Sally Butler. Cairns, QLD, Australia: Cairns Regional Gallery.
Butler, Sally (2013). Dick Roughsey Goobalathaldin: Goobalathaldin's modern life. Newv3: Selected recent acquisitions 2011-2103. (pp. 82-83) edited by Ian Were. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland Art Museum.
Butler, Sally (2013). Ngalpingka Simms's Wayul: occupying space. Newv3: Selected recent acquisitions 2011-2103. (pp. 32-33) edited by Ian Were. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland Art Museum.
Butler, Sally (2012). The "presence" of Queensland Indigenous art. Crossing cultures: the Owen and Wagner collection of contemporary aboriginal Australian art at the Hood Museum of Art. (pp. 82-91) edited by Stephen Gilchrist. Hanover, New Hampshire, USA: Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College.
Butler, Sally (2012). Mavis Ngallametta, creative country; The Lockhart River 'Old Girls' a homelands state of mind; Roy McIvor - Wawu; Bagu commemorative objects. New, v. 2: selected recent acquisitions, 2009-2011. (pp. 127-133) edited by Ian Were. St Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland Art Museum.
Butler, Sally (2010). Experimental art in Queensland. Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2010. (pp. 14-26) edited by Sally Butler and Henrietta Marrie. Brisbane, Australia: Arts Queensland.
Butler, Sally (2010). Goobalathaldin's Rainbow Serpent. Found in Fryer : Stories from the Fryer Library Collection. (pp. 172-173) edited by Follett, Roslyn. St Lucia: University of Queensland Library.
Butler, Sally (2009). Translating the spectacle: John Mawurndjul's intercultural aesthetic. Between indigenous Australia and Europe : John Mawurndjul : Art histories in context. (pp. 161-174) edited by Claus Volkenandt and Christian Kaufmann. Canberra ACT: Aboriginal Studies Press.
Butler, Sally (2008). Introduction. Fully expolited labour: Pat Hoffie. (pp. 97-97) edited by Sally Butler. Brisbane, Australia: University of Queensland Art Museum.
Butler, Sally (2008). Brook Andrew: retrieving history. New: selected recent acquisitions 2007 - 2008. (pp. 130-131) edited by Helmrich, Michelle. St Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland Art Museum.
Butler, Sally (2008). Alick Tipoti: Zugubal. New: selected recent acquisitions 2007 - 2008. (pp. 72-73) edited by Michele Helmrich. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland Art Museum.
Butler, Sally (2008). Rosella Namok: our way. New: selected recent acquisitions 2007 - 2008. (pp. 38-39) edited by Helmrich, Michelle. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland Art Museum.
Butler, Sally (2008). Exploiting the avant-garde. Fully expolited labour: Pat Hoffie. (pp. 104-105) edited by Sally Butler. Brisbane, Australia: The University Queensland Art Museum.
Butler, S. (2007). Outstation art: Emily Kngwarreye and Utopia Awelye batik. Brought to Light II. Contemporary Australian Art 1966-2006 from the Queensland Art Gallery. (pp. 176-183) edited by Seear, L. and Ewington, J.. South Brisbane, Australia: Queensland Art Gallery Publishing.
Butler, S M (2006). The after-image of reason. Sensing the Surface: Carl Warner Images 1995-2005. (pp. 11-22) edited by Jocelyn Wolfe. Brisbane, Qld, Australia: University of Queensland Art Museum.
Butler, Sally (2003). Cape York's Time in Motion. Story Place Indigenous Art of Cape York and the Rainforest. (pp. 192-199) edited by Weir, Ian. Brisbane, Australia: Queensland Art Gallery.
Journal Articles
Butler, Sally (2022). The Karrabing Film Collective's decolonising signs. Eye Filmmuseum.
Butler, Sally (2019). Inalienable signs and invited guests: Australian Indigenous art and cultural tourism. Arts, 8 (161) 4, 161. doi: 10.3390/arts8040161
Butler, Sally (2019). Art for a new understanding: an interview with Dr. Valerie Keenan, Manager of Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre. Arts, 8 (3), 1-9. doi: 10.3390/arts8030091
Butler, Sally (2019). Elisa-Jane Carmichael - weaving with ancestors. Garland, 15 (Ancient Now (China), June 2019).
Butler, Sally (2018). Book review: Rattling art history: the discipline's uncertain conditions: "Rattling spears: a history of Indigenous Australian Art by Ian McLean, London: Reaktion, 2016". Art History, 41 (4), 761-764. doi: 10.1111/1467-8365.12392
Butler, Sally (2018). Elisa Carmichael's regenerative art. Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, 77-80.
Sullivan, Karen and Butler, Sally (2017). Are dead artists' paintings more lively? - Agency in description of artworks before and after an artist's death. Word, 63 (3), 198-206. doi: 10.1080/00437956.2017.1347312
Butler, Sally (2016). Visual storytelling and the archival turn in North Queensland printmaking. Imprint The Quarterly Journal of the Print Council of Australia, 51 (4), 28-33.
Butler, Sally and Bleiker, Roland (2016). Radical dreaming: Indigenous art and cultural diplomacy. International Political Sociology, 10 (1), 56-74. doi: 10.1093/ips/olv004
Butler, Sally (2015). Cheryl Creed and Nickeema Williams, a thousand words, State Library of Queensland, 6 December 2014 to 17 May 2015.. Queensland Review, 22 (2), 205-207. doi: 10.1017/qre.2015.20.
Butler, Sally (2015). Moulding Memory: Janet Fieldhouse's Ceramic Art. Eyeline, 2015 (83), 68-71.
Butler, Sally (2014). 'My Country' but 'Not My Style'. Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts, 81, 36-41.
Butler, Sally (2014). A brush with the moving image. Eija-Liisa Ahtila: Parallel Worlds. Eyeline Contemporary Visual Arts (80), 92-93.
Butler, Sally (2014). LANDSEASKY: revisiting spatiality in video art. Artlink: Australian Contemporary Art Quarterly, 34 (4)
Butler, Sally (2013). J. THOMAS RIMER(ed)Since Meiji: Perspectives on the Japanese Visual Arts, 1868–2000,. Asian Studies Review, 37 (1), 103-105. doi: 10.1080/10357823.2013.767164
Butler, Sally (2012). Mikala Dwyer's occult constructivism. Eyeline, 77, 46-51.
Butler, Sally (2011). '21st Century' installation art in its prime. Eyeline, 74, 50-57.
Butler, Sally (2010). Unsettled Australia in the art of Annabel Nowlan. Eyeline, 72, 44-48.
Butler, Sally (2009). The inaugural Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. Eyeline, 70, 69-71.
Butler, S. (2005). (Book review) The Photography Reader. Media International Australia, 116, 134-135.
Butler, S. (2003). Multiple views: Pluralism as curatorial perspective. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art, 4 (1), 11-28. doi: 10.1080/14434318.2003.11432722
Butler, S. (2000). A guide to the Aboriginal art market. Australian Art Collector Magazine, 13 (July-September), 66-75.
Butler, S. (2000). Michael Nelson Tjakamarra Unmasked. Australian Art Collector Magazine, 13 (July-September), 88-90.
Butler, S. (2000). Eugene Carchesio. Australian Art Collector Magazine, 14 (October-December), 51-52.
Butler, S. (2000). Marian Drew. Australian Art Collector Magazine, 14 (October-December), 68-68.
Butler, S. (2000). Gabriella Wallace. Australian Art Collector Magazine, 12 (April-June), 78-78.
Butler, S. (1999). Philip Bacon: 'Straight talking'. Australian Art Collector (9), 64-68.
Butler, S. (1999). Rosella Namok. Australian Art Collector (8), 38.
Butler, S. (1999). The magic eye: Op art in focus. Australian Art Collector (8), 42-45.
Butler, S. (1999). Op art now. Australian Art Collector (8), 47-50.
Butler, S. (1999). Michael Nelson Jagamara's new expressions. Eyeline (41), 36-39.
Butler, S. (1999). Alice Springs: A collectors guide. Australian Art Collector (10), 104-108.
Butler, S. (1999). New art on the block. Australian Art Collector (8), 58-61.
Conference Papers
Butler, Sally (2015). Weaving worldviews and waste: GhostNets art personalizing environmental ethics. Unmaking Waste 2015, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 22-24 May 2015. Architecture and Design University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia: Zero Waste SA Research Centre for Sustainable Design and Behaviour.
Butler, Sally (2001). Unnatural Origins: Contemporary Aesthetics and an Environmental Point of View. Environment & Culture Interdisciplinary Conference, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 2001. St Lucia: Faculty of Arts.
Butler, S. (2000). The role of Aura at the end of the Millenium. The role of art at the end of the millennium, Victoria University, Wellington, 2-5 December, 1999. Victoria University, Wellington: Department of Art History.
Thesis
Butler, Sally (2002). Emily Kngwarreye and the enigmatic object of discourse. PhD Thesis, School of English, Media Studies and Art History, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/106210
Creative Works
Butler, Sally (2017). Matter over mind. Gallerysmith.
Butler, Sally (2016). Brian Robinson: Pacific Crosscurrents. Cairns, Australia: Issuu: Cairns Regional Gallery.
Butler, Sally (2015). Cross pose: body language against the grain. UQ Art Museum: The University of Queensland.
Butler, Sally (2010). Before time today: reinventing tradition in Aurukun Aboriginal art. St Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland Art Museum.
Butler, Sally (2008). Our way: Contemporary Aboriginal art From Lockhart River. A UQ Art Museum touring exhibition. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
Newspaper Articles
Butler, Sally (2016, 05 24). Here’s looking at: Cindy Sherman ‘Head Shots’