Arts Backbone Volume 13: Issue 1, August 2013
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Arts BACKBONE Volume 13: Issue 1, August 2013 www.aboriginalart.org ‘Always Together, Not Alone’* Mowanjum Artists Spirit of the Wandjina By Christina Davidson, ANKAAA CEO By Jenny Wright, Art Centre Manager Darwin Office GPO BOX 2152, DARWIN ‘Art Centres are only for art, that’s what I’ve of the landmark art works of North Australia. NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA 0801 been told. But in the Aboriginal way you can’t The Yirrkala Bark Petitions involved 12 Frogs Hollow Centre for the Arts separate language, dance, song, country, signatories; the Yirrkala Church Panels (16 56 McMinn Street, Darwin story and traditional knowledge from art. artists); the great Ngurra Canvas (over 50 Ph +61 (0) 8 8981 6134 Fax +61 (0) 8 8981 6048 Everything connects, art cannot stand-alone, artists); the Salt Water Collection of Bark Email [email protected] that’s the thing we really have to fight for’ Paintings of Sea Country (47 artists). The www.ankaaa.org.au Gabriel Nodea, Chairman Warmun Art Centre** labour of consultation and joint decision- www.aboriginalart.org making was in each case profound. www.facebook.com.au/ANKAAA. aboriginal.artists This issue of ANKAAA Arts Backbone This publication contains the names of Aboriginal celebrates achievements in contemporary As an Indigenous lead and governed peak people who have passed away. northern Indigenous art building on the body now in its 26th year, ANKAAA is itself All text and images are copyright of the artist, Art Centres or ANKAAA (as indicated) unless otherwise ‘vision of the elders’. It specifically pays a remarkable collective enterprise. With The Mowanjum Aboriginal Art and 16 Mowanjum people are employed at The Mowanjum Festival is the highlight stated. ANKAAA Arts Backbone is tribute to the leaders who 50 years ago artists working together across a vast area Culture Centre is situated on the famous the Art Centre as arts workers, cultural of our year. Held at the Art Centre © ANKAAA 2013. The views and opinions conceived and shared the Yirrkala Church of one million square kilometers of country, Gibb River Road, 12kms from the mentors and teachers. Two of these arts every July,it draws an increasingly expressed in this publication are those of the authors Panels and Yirrkala Bark Petitions, building including some of Australia’s most remote Kimberley town of Derby. workers, Rachel Umbagai and Stanley large audience of both visitors and and do not necessarily reflect those of ANKAAA. bridges of understanding between very communities and homelands. In 2013 Taylor (participants in ANKAAA’s Arts local communities. The festival features ANKAAA is a non-profit incorporated Aboriginal Association. different worlds (see: p. 12-13). The ANKAAA is the largest peak Indigenous art The Art Centre supports the culture and Worker Extension Program) are both traditional Junba and Waanga song vision of the Gija elders of Warmun in organisation in Australia, supporting 49 Art creativity of the Worrorra, Ngarinyin now senior staff within the team. and dance and guest performances Editor: Christina Davidson the East Kimberley, who put their patterns Centres and artists groups and 5,000 artists and Wunumbal people of the Western from visiting communities. This year’s Issue Coordination: Anisha Stitfold and designs on panels gathered from with very diverse languages and cultures. Kimberley. These three language Cultural maintenance is very important feature performers are the Mirriwoong Cover Image: Lena Nyadbi’s new installation at the Musée du quai Branly turns the the building debris of the communities groups share marriage customs and to the Mowanjum people and the Art Gajerrong dancers from Kununurra. contemporary art world on its axis first housing projects in the late 1970s ANKAAA today is a result of the vision most importantly, Wandjina Law. Centre supports this by organising bush Photo: Jonathan Kimberley and 1980s, to teach their children Gija and dedication of its Indigenous leadership To the people, the Wandjina is the trips and painting camps throughout the ANKAAA is proudly supported by: language and culture; and thereby over time. It regularly works together with Creator of all living things; and the year. founded the now world famous Warmun the other Indigenous governed peak arts bringer of rain. Art Movement, is also celebrated (see: organisations nationally. Over the past few years, the Arts Centre pp. 4,6,7,23 and font cover). Wandjina imagery is a feature of the has been developing an Archive and In July 2013 the ANKAAA board have rich rock art of the region, and these Multi Media Project to digitally store the In May, ANKAAA Chairman Djambawa come together to appeal to government on sites remain of great cultural importance history and culture of the Mowanjum Marawii AM and Deputy Chair Annette both sides to fully recognise and support to the people. people. While this project teaches Kogolo, delivered papers at the World the remarkable continuing achievements young people field recording and Indigenous Network Conference, reflecting – cultural and economic – of the ongoing As well as paintings, Mowanjum Art photography, it also ensures that new on the role of art in successful land and sea renaissance of north Australian Indigenous and Culture Centre sells carved boab material is regularly added to the digital Top: Mowanjum Aboriginal Art and Culture rights cases (see: p. 20). It is interesting art. And to do so in concrete ways to match nuts and pearl shell jewellery, all of library. The University of Melbourne Centre Photo: ANKAAA Above: Rachel Umbagai to consider in this context, the remarkable the increased rhetorical acknowledgement which returns income to community (Victoria) has been a long-term partner (ANKAAA Art Worker Extension Program collective effort that has contributed to some of its importance to the country. members. Already this year, the Art in this project for many years, assisting Graduate) in the Mowanjum gallery. Bottom Left *Yalmay Yunypingu, from speech recalling Dr. M. Yunupingu, Centre has helped over 145 artists earn in the preservation of traditional song and Right: Mowanjum Festival 2013. Dancers at State Memorial, Gulkula, 30 June **Kimberley Artists an income from their work. repertoire. Mowanjum Festival 2013 Photos: Matt Scurfield Statement, ANKAAA Kimberley Regional Meeting 2012 Photos: Buku Larrnggay Mulka, permission for reproduction in connection with NAIDOC Week, 2013 only, see: p.12-13 Yirrkala Church Panels installed at the Mulka Museum, Yirrkala Yirrkala Church Panels in the Yirrkala Church, 1960s 2 Arts BACKBONe – ANKAAA Volume 13: Issue 1, August 2013 Volume 13: Issue 1, August 2013 ART CENTRE FEATURE – Arts BACKBONE 3 Gija Women in Paris ‘Our Living Land’ Waringarri Arts in Shanghai What Makes a Place a Home? By Roseleen Park, Warmun Art Centre By Cathy Cummins, Manager Waringarri Aboriginal Arts By Anna Weekes, Coordinator Larrakia Nation Arts Centre Alongside the unveiling of the installation Larrakia Nation Arts Centre, A House and the exhibition, we had lunch of Thongs is an artistic collaboration with Her Excellency, The Honourable between Larrakia Nation artists, Governor General of Australia, Quentin community members, and members of Bryce, which was a really great Darwin’s homeless; raising the question, experience. It was lovely to see her so ‘what makes a place a home?’. interested and engaged with Lena’s artwork. Constructed entirely from thongs - both second-hand and donated, A House of Other highlights of the trip included a Thongs took many hands and minds to bus and boat tour of Paris; a visit to the create and build, taking in perspectives Louvre Museum; a private tour of Sainte- of ‘home’, ‘housing’ and ‘homelessness’ Chapelle (a medieval Gothic chapel), from the Darwin community. and an amazing dinner on the roof of the Centre Georges Pompidou, where When asked what makes a place a we watched the flashing lights of the home, commonality became apparent Eiffel Tower in the distance. between those who are homeless; those newly arrived in Australia; those who Visible from the Eiffel Tower and too! It was absolutely beautiful to see Roseleen Park is an arts worker at Warmun Art rent or live in public housing, and those measuring almost 700 square metres, Lena’s work there in Paris, and see the Centre and 2012 Graduate of the ANKAAA Arts Waringarri Artists, Peggy Griffiths, Dora ‘It has been an amazing trip for us’, who own their home. Lena Nyadbi’s Dayiwul Lirlmim was barramundi imagery there next to the Worker Extension Program. Griffiths, Agnes Armstrong and Louise said Dora Griffiths, artist and Vice recently installed and unveiled on the flowing Seine river. We all laughed Malarvie travelled to Shanghai in China Chairperson of Waringarri Aboriginal Inside of the house, is a film installation roof of the museum, Musée du quai when Lena said that the barramundi Top Left: The Governor General Hon Quentin to experience a new culture, Chinese Arts. ‘We enjoyed the whole experience showing personal interviews with Branly in central Paris. Accompanying might just jump into the water and swim Bryce, Lena Nyadbi, Stephane Martin President art, Shanghai city lights and a wealth of and were looked after so well by our members of the public, which audiences Lena to Paris was artist and arts worker off with the other fish. Director General Musee du quai Branly, Rupert new ideas. The artists confidently shared hosts’. With a shining smile she adds, are invited to listen to; wearing the Roseleen Park, who shares her thoughts Myer Chair, Australia Council for the Arts at their stories with exhibition audiences, ‘we were so proud and excited to be ‘thong - headphones’ provided. and experiences on her time in Paris After this overwhelming experience, we Musee du Quai Branly launch, Paris 2013 Photo: and celebrated the spiritual connection able to share our art’.