Allowing ample space for amplification: aMBUSH Gallery celebrates 70 years of Woroni

Posted on 29 September, 2020

2020 has forced many subsectors of the media industry to confront the realities of the changing space for journalism amidst an ever-crowded landscape of bite-size news and ‘shareable’ content designed for Facebook and Twitter.

It has taken us back to the drawing board, where we as a collective have had to the grapple with the inevitable question: what are we trying to voice?

Amidst the shuttering of Australian titles such as Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE and Marie Clare—publications which many aspiring journalists read religiously and daydreamed about joining in their teenage years—it has become clear that the selling point for journalism is authenticity, and the ability to speak freely.

As a naïve and overly ambitious 20-year-old, having to locate myself within this chaotic landscape has posited a challenge. One of the publications to which I have consistently turned has been Woroni, the ANU student-run media entity which has always sought to inclusively empower young voices.

And this year, as Woroni celebrates 70 years, Kambri’s aMBUSH Gallery is transforming into a time capsule commemorating these vibrant voices of ANU. The exhibition, curated by current Woroni staff, is a vibrant display of full-colour reprints of years of Woroni covers.

Entitled Woroni: 70 Years of Outrage and Activism, aMBUSH has divided the presentation to highlight the magazine’s dedication to advocating for social justice causes, and its desire to spark debate over contentious issues such as sex, drugs, nudity and profanity.

What this exhibition powerfully highlights is the authenticity with which Woroni has connected students to media over many years.

To me, it symbolises the timelessness of the passion and integrity with which young voices have amplified issues of concern. It represents the bones on which the media and communications industry has built itself on.

Furthermore, it reminds us that amidst the appearance of chaos and uncertainty within the journalistic landscape today, there will always be platforms for voices to be heard and create meaningful content.

Images supplied