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Aboriginal Art - Resistance and Dialogue

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Aboriginal Art - Resistance and Dialogue University of New South Wales College of Fine Arts School of Art Theory ABORIGINAL ART - RESISTANCE AND DIALOGUE The Political Nature and Agency of Aboriginal Art A thesis submitted by Lee-Anne Hall in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Art Theory CFATH709.94/HAL/l Ill' THE lJNIVERSllY OF NEW SOUTH WALES COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS Thesis/Project Report Sheet Surnune or Funily .nune· .. HALL .......................................................................................................................................................-....... -............ · · .... U · · MA (TH' rn ....................................... AbbFinlname: . ·......... ' ....d ........... LEE:::ANNE ......................lend.............. ................. Oher name/1: ..... .DEBaaAH. ....................................- ........................ -....................... .. ,CVlalJOn, or C&ltltal &1YCOIn '"" NVCfllt)'ca It:.... ..................... ( ............................................ School:. .. ART-����I��· ...THEORY ....... ...............................··N:t�;;�?A�c·���JlacjTn·ar··................................... Faculty: ... COLLEGE ... OF. ...·Xr"t F.J:blll:...................... .AR'J: ..................... .........................-........................ n,1e:........ .................... •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• .. •••••• .. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• .. •• • .. ••••• .. ••••••••••• ..••••••• .................... H ................................................................ -000000000000••o00000000 Abstract 350 words maximum: [PLEASETYPE] This thesis examines the political nature and agency of Aboriginal art in cross-cultural dialogue. This has required that Aborigines be revealed as purposeful actors seeking dialogue with the settler-culture. Foucauldian frameworks with regard to discourse, power and subjectivity are used to reveal imperial discourses as having constituted the Aborigine as oppressed and marginal subject. Foucault's thesis on the nature of operative power concludes that power is relational and negotiable, resistance is a force in counter to power. Accordingly, whilst European dominance and control over Aborigines has been both severe and damaging, the power of the settler or imperial culture has never been absolute. In conceptualising Aborigines as capable of active resistance, Aboriginal art is positioned in the contemporary era as central to strategies of resistance, in tandem with the maintenance of an autonomous Aboriginal cultural identity. Secondly, this thesis seeks to establish the use of art as efficacious in promoting cross-cultural dialogue, specifically, political dialogue. Thedialogue sought by Aborigines and referred to herein is one which seeks recognition of Aboriginal sovereignty and the imperative of reparation. The use of Aboriginal art in the dialogic process reflects the precious place art holds in Aboriginal society as central to the propagation and maintenance of religious knowledge, political power and social control. The mobilisation of Aboriginal culture along with a strategic creative incorporation and appropriation of settler-culture forms, are positioned as power bases from which Aborigines refuse subjectification, promote and sustain their own cultural identity and integrity, and effectively dialogue across cultures. Discussion regarding Aboriginal art's political efficacy across cultures is framed by detailed discussion of three artworks which appeared during 1988, Australia's Bicentenary year of European settlement. The artworks, the Barunga Statement, the Tjukurrpa Mosaic and the Aboriginal Memorial are each located in highly public and prestigious sites. The efficacious nature of these artworks is shown to be problematic, in that meanings (signs) are neither stable nor authoritative across cultures. This instability makes the artworks vulnerable to manipulation and gross fonns appropriation,of whereupon they appear to serve purposes contrary to their initial function. Other factors are demonstrated to be operational however, whereby appropriation is shown to be either partial, and/or its processes are deferred or refused. These factors relate to, the ongoing attachment (inalienability) of the artwork from its Aboriginal creator and community of origin; acts of Aboriginal counter-appropriation; the incommensurabitity of cultures, mobilisation of difffaance; and, the 'resonant' character of these works, where their meanings are constantly renegotiated in lived time and space. IO _J Dcclaralion rclatin& dispositionof projectrcpon,,\huia I am fuDy aware of the policy ofthe University rclatin& to the retention and use of hicher dccru projectpo rc ns and theses, namely that the Univeniay rc1&ins the copies submined for examination and is freetoallow them IO be consulted or borrowed. Subject lo lhc provisions of&he Copyril,h1 Aca J968, theUniversitymay issue a projed rcpon inor thesis whole or in pan,photosaat in or microfilmr o olhct'°PYUII 10 medi:a. I also authorise the publication by University. Microfilms of a w50 d stnc:t ill ·ssenalionAbctrac:u International (applicable dc>elorata only). �--6_,_'JS_ or Dale 'The University rccoanises that I.here may benupcional circumstanc.cs requirin& res i s on c.opyina or condition, on me. Reque,u for reslric:t.ion for a period up IO 2 yean mustmade be in writin& lhelo ReJistrar. Requ t r I lon&erec riodof rcstriaion may be cor.1iderccl in n�nal ciraimsllnc.es if accompaniedby a lcucror SUpp>I\ fromSupervisor the o d ofSchool. Suda reque,u 011111 besubmiuedwith the thesis/project repol1. i FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completionor requircmenu Reaistmand Dep,iy Principal nus SHEETIS TO BE GLUED TO INSIDE1liE FRONT COVF.R OF THE THESIS 'I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma of the University or other institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement is made in the text." Lee-Anne Hall January 1995 In submitting this thesis to the University of New South Wales for examination, and subsequent consultation or borrowing for academic use, I make the following request for the imposition of restricted access. Chapter Four 'Both Sword and Shield - The Barunga Statement', contains discussion deemed sensitive by myself and my informants, where discussion surrounds Aboriginal political decision making with regard to material deemed secret and sacred. I therefore ask that sections 4.5 and 4.6 in this chapter be made unavailable for student use or academic copying or citation. 22a Earl st, Hunters Hill i PREFACE 'I believe that any expression of Aboriginal art, be it traditional or contemporary is an act of political defiance. So much time and effort, two hundred years of very concerted effort to destroy Aboriginality and Aboriginal culture has gone into this country. The fact that Aboriginal culture does remain a living thing in itself is an extraordinary political statement, about their resiliance, their adaptability and their tremendous willpower' (Gary Foley, quoted in Symes and Lingard 1988). ii ABSTRACT This thesis examines the political nature and agency of Aboriginal art in cross­ cultural dialogue. This has required that Aborigines be revealed as purposeful actors seeking dialogue with the settler-culture. Foucauldian frameworks with regard to discourse, power and subjectivity are used to reveal imperial discourses as having constituted the Aborigine as oppressed and marginal subject. Foucault's thesis on the nature of operative power concludes that power is relational and negotiable, resistance is a force in counter to power. Accordingly, whilst European dominance and control over Aborigines has been both severe and damaging, the power of the settler or imperial culture has never been absolute. In conceptualising Aborigines as capable of active resistance, Aboriginal art is positioned in the contemporary era as central to strategies of resistance, in tandem with the maintenance of an autonomous Aboriginal cultural identity. Secondly, this thesis seeks to establish the use of art as efficacious in promoting cross-cultural dialogue, specifically, political dialogue. The dialogue sought by Aborigines and referred to herein is one which seeks recognition of Aboriginal sovereignty and the imperative of reparation. The use of Aboriginal art in the dialogic process reflects the precious place art holds in Aboriginal society as central to the propagation and maintenance of religious knowledge, political power and social control. The mobilisation of Aboriginal culture along with a strategic creative incorporation and appropriation of settler­ culture forms, are positioned as power bases from which Aborigines refuse subjectification, promote and sustain their own cultural identity and integrity, and effectively dialogue across cultures. Discussion regarding Aboriginal art's political efficacy across cultures is framed by detailed discussion of three artworks which appeared during 1988, Australia's Bicentenary year of European settlement. The artworks, the Barunga Statement, the Tjukurrpa Mosaic and the Aboriginal Memorial are each located in highly public and iii prestigious sites. The efficacious nature of these artworks is shown to be problematic, in that meanings (signs) are neither stable nor authoritative across cultures. This instability makes the
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