Investigating the Aesthetic Character of Australian Urban Indigenous Art: A Socio-Political Fusion Nerina Dunt MA (Studies in Art History), BVA (Hons) A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Discipline of Art History, Faculty of Arts, University of Adelaide. November 2018 ii Table of Contents Abstract v Statement of Originality and Consent vii Acknowledgments viii Note xiv List of Abbreviations xv List of Figures xvi Introduction 1 Structure of the Thesis 9 Chapter 1 – Surveying the Field of Literature 14 Introduction 14 Terminology 15 Modes of Reference 21 Transcending Absence 21 Chronology, Anthology and Sporadically Located 24 Historiography 32 From Anthropology and Ethnography to Art History 32 Cross Cultural Exchange 37 Politics and Decolonisation 39 Summary 52 Chapter 2 – Breakthrough, a New Aesthetic and Collectivity 53 Introduction 53 The Breakthrough Exhibition: Koori Art ’84 55 Politics 57 Place 59 Self and Identity 61 Review 65 Toward a New Aesthetic 69 Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative 82 Workshops and Collectives 85 Summary 94 iii Chapter 3 – Early Characteristics: Eliciting Empowerment through the Socio-Political Climate 96 Introduction 96 Toward Empowerment – The Socio-political Climate and National Awareness 97 The Visit of Pope John Paul II, Alice Springs, 1986 101 Aboriginal Deaths in Custody 109 Australia’s Bicentenary 129 Summary 143 Chapter 4 – Defying Colonial Representation: Authentic and Diverse Experience 146 Introduction 146 Resisting Colonial Representation 148 Contemporary Indigenous Experience as Authentic and Diverse 170 Summary 185 Chapter 5 – Recovering the Indigenous Subject: Exposing Colonial Narratives and Practices 187 Introduction 187 Narratives and Practices of Colonialism: Forgetting the Indigenous Subject 189 Recovering the Indigenous Narrative 196 Stolen Generations 196 Sovereignty 210 Summary 227 Chapter 6 – Control: Indigenising the Curated Space, Critique and Self-Determination 229 Introduction 229 Indigenising the Curated Space 230 Beyond the Pale: 2000 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art 249 A Socio-Political Platform: Critique and Criticality 258 Self-Determination: proppaNOW 268 Summary 281 Conclusion 283 Appendix 290 Bibliography of Cited Material 300 iv Abstract Two distinct geographies inform the practice and production of contemporary Australian Indigenous art: one is desert-based and remote; the other is urban-based (including regional centres). Art historically, urban Indigenous art has been overshadowed by the attention given to desert and remote Indigenous art. From the mid to late 1980s, however, urban Indigenous art built in momentum and proliferated, as its artists channelled in their work, to varying degrees, a connection with matters concerning Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations that were socio- political in nature. Artists interrogated Australia’s colonial paradigm. This thesis investigates the development of the urban Indigenous art movement, for a duration of more than thirty years, establishing how the socio-political connection has significantly motivated its aesthetic character. The research questions bring focus to the definition of a socio-political aesthetic, how artists portray it, and why it is central to the movement of urban Indigenous art. Decolonial theory provides a useful methodological framework for understanding Indigenous perspectives and Indigenous voices that are shown to ideologically underpin this socio-political aesthetic in urban Indigenous art. In employing this theory for analysis, four key objectives guiding artists are evident within the period surveyed: empowerment; defying colonial representation; recovering the Indigenous subject through the analysis of colonialism; and self- determination. Expressions of the socio-political aesthetic within urban Indigenous art are found to be numerous. For some artists, expression is equivalent to participation within the socio-political field. For others, expression operates on sensate and affective levels. Subversion and resistance v to previous colonial modes of representing Indigeneity feature highly, as do the processes of destabilisation and undermining of colonial knowledge and power systems. Some artists harness key socio-political events and respond to these using autobiography or collective and cultural memory; others recover Indigenous perspectives in order to achieve historical transparency. Critique, criticality and collectivity are also strategies used to execute a socio-political aesthetic, with Indigenisation of the curated space occupying a key role in dissemination. The thesis contends that not only is a socio-political aesthetic intrinsic to urban Indigenous art, but that such an aesthetic manifests as socio-political agency. Urban Indigenous artists present contemporary art that is authoritative, delivering the message that contemporary Australian Indigenous culture, identity and representation should be managed from a self-determined position that is distinctly Indigenous. vi Statement of Originality and Consent I certify that this work contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in my name, in any university or other institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. In addition, I certify that no part of this work will, in the future, be used in a submission in my name for any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution without the prior approval of the University of Adelaide. I acknowledge that copyright of artworks reproduced within this thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of those artworks. Every effort has been made to trace and acknowledge copyright holders. I apologise should there be any omissions that have occurred. I give permission for the digital version of my thesis to be made available on the web, via the University’s digital research repository, the Library Search and also through web search engines, unless permission has been granted by the University to restrict access for a period of time. I acknowledge the support I have received for my research through the provision of an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. Signed Nerina Dunt Date 22 November 2018 vii Acknowledgments First and foremost, I wish to pay respect to the Kaurna people, past, present and future, who are the traditional custodians of the Adelaide Plains region. I respect their beliefs, customs and their enduring connection with Country. I sincerely thank Professor Catherine Speck, my principal supervisor, and my co-supervisors Susan Jenkins and Professor Ian North, for their input, direction, commitment, time and constructive suggestions, which have been vital to the production of this thesis. Their academic support has been invaluable. This thesis refers to many artworks, which in most cases, have been viewed in person, as their inclusion within state and national collections has allowed relatively straightforward access. In some instances, however, works have moved overseas, entered private collections or limited access archives, and sadly, in a few cases, some have been lost altogether. In tracking down works, I thank Access and Client Services Officers Kylie Simpson, Kate Goologong, Ash Pollock- Harris and Nathan Dukes at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies; Aboriginal Emerging Curator and Artist Liaison at the Biennale of Sydney, Chantelle Woods; at the Eora College TAFE, teacher and artist Chico Monks and Lee-Anne Bethel in Collection and Records; Professor Peter Sutton at the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide & Division of Humanities at the South Australian Museum and Alice Beale, Senior Collection Manager of Anthropology also at the South Australian Museum; Elle Freak, Associate Curator of Australian Paintings, Sculpture and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the Art Gallery of South Australia; Professor Vivien Johnson, University of New South Wales; Librarian Claire Eggleston at the Edmund and Joanna Capon Research Library, viii Art Gallery of New South Wales; Collection Manager Glenda Beck at the Museum of Brisbane; Curatorial and Collections Officer Lisa Bryan-Brown at Griffiths Artworks, and Michael Barnett, Art Collection Manager, at Griffith University Art Collections and Griffith University Art Gallery; Registrar Kate Hamersley at the University of Western Australia Museums; and Associate Registrar Julie-Anne Carbon in Collection Systems and Documentation, National Gallery of Victoria. There are several people whom have been instrumental with regard to facilitating my research. Records Manager, Rory McQuinn in the Information Unit, and Bibliographic Services Librarian, Helen Hyland of the National Gallery of Australia, have provided critical support in allowing my access of curatorial, registration, and artists’ files. Shari Lett, Archivist, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collection, and Claire Eggleston, Librarian, both at the Edmund and Joanna Capon Research Library, Art Gallery of New South Wales assisted with access to artist files; staff at Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative, enabled my viewing of Board minutes and ephemera items from Boomalli’s early years; Information Manager, Jin Whittington at the Art Gallery of South Australia also provided assistance with access to ephemera items