Arts Backbone Volume 4 Issue 3: September 2004 ‘TOP END’ ARTISTS TRIUMPH AT TELSTRA ART AWARDS Congratulations to the 2004 Telstra First Prize winner Gulumbu Yunupingu from Yirrkala, NT for her installation of memorial poles titled Garak, the Universe. AWARD WINNERS Gulumbu’s entry was selected from 103 works in the exhibition. The task of judging the Award was undertaken by Edmond Capon, Director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Dr Julie Gough, Curator of Indigenous Art at the National Gallery Telstra First Prize of Victoria. The exhibition runs until 7 November at the Museum and Art Gallery of Gulumbu Yunupingu (Yirrkala) the Northern Territory. The following is an extract of Gulumbu’s acceptance speech. Garak, the Universe “Thank you very much Telstra, you’ve been rocks from Darwin, which I used to paint Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award wonderful to me. I just share with you my the three logs with colours. Timothy Wulanjbirr (Maningrida) painting. My paintings tell you a story, and Lorrkon Hollow Log my painting goes with the story. It’s about “I couldn’t sleep last night. I kept thinking the Garak. Garak the Universe talks about about Larrakia mob to say these words. Telstra Bark Painting Award the link (between) mother earth and the Thank you, thank you, very much. It is Kay Lindjuwanga (Maningrida) universe and people in the world today. because I got that ochre that we are together Buluwana at Dilebang The colours we have, nationalities we have, now. Us mob and you mob and our friends the tongues we speak. It is wonderful to be in Darwin, the Nation here, the people here, Telstra Work on Paper Award one; we (are) living together in the world. we are together now, we are one today, Brook Andrew (Melbourne) My story talks about people, land and the thank you. Yo.” Tensio sea. The universe linked to the earth; our Telstra General Painting Award mother earth and the people in the world Spider Snell (Fitzroy Crossing) today, thank you for listening.” Gulumbu Kurtal Jila Yunupingu. Highly Commended Christine Christophersen (Darwin) Timothy Cook (Milikapiti) Judy Baypungala (Ramingining) Nyukuna Daisy Baker (Ernabella) Congratulations to all exhibitors. In this issue • Garma 2004 • Twined Together • Indigenous Arts Unit for Arts NT • Feature Artist: Spider Snell © ANKAAA 2004 ANKAAA © • Feature Art Centre: Gulumbu Yunupingu accepting the Telstra Jilamara Arts & Crafts National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award at the Museum and Art • Art Centre workers in profi le Gallery of the Northern Territory on 13 August 2004. • Exhibitions October - December The following day Gulumbu spoke publicly at the Gallery Philip Neville opening of the • Who’s Who & What’s New Garma Panel. • CDU Visiting Scholars Program “I would like to say to the Larrakia Nation Gulumbu Yunupingu, Garak, The Universe in Darwin thank you for having me here in 2004, Natural pigments on wood. Darwin. And thank you for your soil/two © Gulumbu Yunupingu, Buku Larrnggay Mulka • ANKAAA Websites Launched Page 2 Volume 4 Issue 3 NEWS & REVIEWS GGARMAARMA 22004004 Gapan Gallery During August 2004, thirty ANKAAA members and staff travelled from as far as Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley to attend the sixth annual Garma festival held at The 2004 Gapan Gallery exhibition was Gulkula on the Gove Peninsula in Arnhem Land. The theme of Garma this year was the third year the artists of Yirrkala have Indigenous Livelihoods, and Leadership and included a range of events. Highlights hung their limited edition screenprints in of Garma 2004 for ANKAAA members were the opening of the 2003 Garma Panel in the bush gallery at Garma. The framed the Garmawuy Miny’ti Gallery, the Gapan Gallery, art forums, the evening Bungul prints were exhibited on stringy bark and the print workshop. ANKAAA acknowledges the support of Australia Council trees in a space located just a short walk (ATSIAB) & Arts NT funding for ANKAAA members and staff to attend Garma. from the Festival ground. Gapan refers to the white ochre painted on the base of Garmawuy Miny’ti: The Garma Panel Exhibition the trees which supported the prints. The opening of the Gapan Gallery The exhibition of the 2003 Collaborative occurred on the evening of the fi rst day Garma Panel of etchings and individual of Garma. A large crowd gathered in editions was opened at Garma this year the bush gallery, sitting on the sand fl oor by Tommy May and Djambawa Marawili, in the unlit space. Yirrkala artists and the former and present Chair of ANKAAA sisters Gaymala, Gulumbu, Nyapanyapa, respectively. Mr Marawili spoke about Djundaynga, Barrupu and Dhopiya the importance of “sharing and learning” Yunupingu opened the exhibition by from one another, especially about each keening (singing) to country before the other’s culture and country. “Everyone has gallery was illuminated, revealing a different ways of thinking; this is a way of vibrant and spontaneous body of work. bringing this together”. © ANKAAA 2004 ANKAAA © The 2004 Panel produced at Garma is made Galarrwuy Yunupingu discussing the 2003 up of 48 individual wood block prints that Garma Panel with ANKAAA Manager Stephanie Hawkins, ANKAAA Chairperson together will form the 2004 Collaborative Djambawa Marawili and former ANKAAA Garma Panel. Individual prints will also be Chairperson Tommy May in the Garmawuy editioned and exhibited at Garma 2005. Miny’ti Gallery at Garma 2004. The fi rst steps for the 2004 Panel were Yolngu from northeast Arnhem Land. Others taken on day two of the Garma Festival came from western Arnhem Land, the Tiwi when senior law men, Gawirrin Gumana, Islands, Fitzroy Crossing, Darwin and Sydney. Galarrwuy Yunupingu, Tommy May and ANKAAA Chair Djambawa Marawili met Artists worked with a variety of tools for to discuss the theme and underlying design carving, including large and small cutting © ANKAAA 2004 ANKAAA © for the panel. The design chosen by the tools and even razor blades. Some artists Sasha Earle from Buku Larrnggay Mulka took their blocks away to work on, and print workshop supervising the Gapan men was larrakitj (hollow log coffi n) resting returned with completed blocks ready for Gallery Exhibition at Garma 2004. in the forked tree support. This image, which has also been used in the Garma proofi ng. Others sat down in the Gallery, On day two, team members responsible Festival logo, symbolizes people coming with family members and children, while for the installation of the exhibition together and will be screenprinted over the visitors watched, fascinated as the artists presented a workshop. Araluen Maymuru, woodblock print panel. Once the larrakitj drew, then carved the clan designs that Sasha Earle and Don Whyte spoke about design was drawn up by Galarrwuy, the describe their land and its creation. Once the process of developing the concept wood blocks began to be distributed to cutting was complete, blocks were inked of the gallery and problem solving the artists for designs to be created. up and proofs made to enable artists to fi ne installation. Sasha began by explaining tune their work. the concept of framed prints being hung This year almost 50 indigenous artists were on the trees providing a juxtaposition of involved, with most of the artists being Stephanie Hawkins, ANKAAA Manager, geometric, indoor gallery shapes with the explained to artists the Copyright natural environment. “In this gallery the agreements between each artist, Yothu Yindi works are actually hung in the place that Foundation and Basil Hall Editions that the art comes from. You can see that the have been created in order to ensure that subject matter is mostly scenes from the each artist’s work is securely protected from bush. So the artists produce the works misuse. The artists posed for photographs from the natural environment; the screen- and each dictated stories about their work printers put the art through the processes for later publication. This documentation in the Buku print shop and then we bring it will be used, with the Artists’ permission, all back home in the Gapan Gallery.” for publicity, and will be included in the catalogue for the 2004 Garma Print Panel. A similar exhibition called Galuku Gallery 2004 ANKAAA © (Palm Gallery) was subsequently shown ANKAAA Tiwi Executive members John The 2003 Garma Panel was exhibited at as part of the Festival of Darwin. The Martin Tipungwuti, BJ Timaepatua (Vice Gallery Phillip Neville in Darwin as part of the Yirrkala prints were hung on coconut Chairperson ANKAAA), Joseph Cooper Darwin Festival. A panel has been acquired and Kenny Brown with Northern Territory palms in the Darwin Botanic Gardens each by the National Gallery of Australia. Administrator Ted Egan at the Garmawuy evening for the duration of the Festival. Miny’ti Gallery, Garma 2004. Christine Colton, Garma Volunteer Volume 4 Issue 3 Page 3 TWINED TOGETHER: NEWS & REVIEWS Museum Victoria at Injalak Arts and Crafts Twined Together has been the working title Scholar Program hosted by ANU, CDU and July 13, 2004 Louise Hamby presented a of an exhibition and book that will make its MAGNT. lecture to the Visiting Scholars Program on debut in March 2005 at Museum Victoria the development of the exhibition with the in Melbourne. Louise Hamby has been In June, Jill Nganjmirra travelled to input of the artists and Jill Nganjmirra. working with the staff and fi bre artists from Canberra and Melbourne to work with Injalak Arts and Crafts for the past two years Louise Hamby and staff at Museum Victoria to develop this project, which will highlight in the development of the exhibition. This the fi bre art from Kunwinjku speakers from was funded by Museum Victoria and Gunbalanya and its outstations. ANKAAA through their professional training programs.