Art. Culture. Issue 19 Antiquities. March 2018 Natural history. From the ground up In this issue A word from the Director, David Ellis In 2018 we’ll be watching as the new Our Egyptian material is one of 2 Buku-manapanmirri 16 The Mummy Project Chau Chak Wing Museum emerges our many treasures and a renewed Coming together Opening an ancient coffin from the ground and enthusiastically program of analysis has been Community consultation in provides some astonishing planning the opening exhibitions conducted on our four mummies. The Arnhem Land is part of an discoveries. and programs. results, benefiting spectacularly from exhibition of Yolgnu culture being the latest scanning technology, will be developed for the new museum. 21 Fragments of history The current activity is a clear incorporated within the new gallery of First impressions are deceptive reminder of how close we are to the Chau Chak Wing Museum. 6 News with sherds of blue-and-white starting construction, and how ceramics. complex a task it is to build a Around this time last year I reported David Ellis, photo by Martin Ho 7 Wish upon a fish 21st century museum. on a new project: the conservation, Students contribute to the 24 Sphere of influence cleaning and assembly of hundreds in the Nicholson, and a set-design naming of new fish species. A spherical sculpture is more Dr James Flexner of the Department of plaster fragments that comprised by Frank Hinder for the 1963 Student complex and intricate than of Archaeology organised a section of pavement from Armana, Union Theatre production of The it appears. archaeological testing of the museum the ancient capital of the 18th Dynasty Bedbug. Both reflect teaching and 32 A stitch in time site in mid-2017, providing a great in ancient Egypt. This precious learning at the University and will 27 Good hair day Watercolours of textiles by a opportunity for student training. The decorated pavement is quite literally make fine additions to the new A portrait has close ties to former student are still exquisite, excavations bore out the prediction coming together. museum, where one of our priorities hairdressing in ancient Rome. 100 years later. of previous heritage assessments – is to extend the opportunities and that there was unlikely to be much The first section of three has been benefits of the collections to students. 30 Drawing inspiration 34 Scenes from the Nile by way of contextual remains – but reassembled and its colours are now TAFE design students use the Part 2 of our feature on a that didn’t stop the students clean and bright. It is ready for display Keep up to date with the project at: University’s collections to bring significant fresco-painted floor and volunteers gaining valuable in the new museum. This meticulous, sydney.edu.au/museums their works to life. from Amarna in ancient Egypt experience and enjoying the thrill time-consuming work was in a of finding old coins and pottery. large part supported by generous You can also follow us on twitter 36 Voyage in time Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay’s donations for the conservation of @SydneyUniMuseum, or find us 8 From Bauhaus to Bedbug great-great nephew retraces a In this issue we will hear how these collections. Its companion on Facebook. A recent acquisition enriches momentous journey. preparations for an exhibition of section (stage 2) now awaits treatment the University’s history of cultural heritage from the Yolngu by contracted specialist conservators. David Ellis interdisciplinary, experimental art 38 Donor honour roll for 2017 people began with respectful Director, Museums and and drama. consultation with the Yirrkala, Two elements of the University’s Cultural Engagement We say thank you to the donors who are making an enormous Ramingining and Milingimbi history return home in the form of a 11 Return of the warrior difference to our achievements. communities in Arnhem Land. cast of a Parthenon frieze, previously Casting new light on an object that has returned to the 39 Making history Nicholson after 50 years. All the latest museums news, Sydney University Museums Education and Public Programs Muse edited by Luke Parker. from special guests to collecting Comprising the Macleay Museum, To book a school excursion, an adult education 14 Dig this! Nicholson Museum and University Art Gallery tour or a University heritage tour This edition contains names and images of people awards. +61 2 9351 8746 who have died. We acknowledge that, for some Students make fascinating findings The Macleay Museum and the University Art [email protected] people and communities, these may cause distress during test digs on the Chau Chak Gallery are now closed as we prepare for the and sadness. Where possible, cultural permission 40 Find your muse opening of the Chau Chak Wing Museum. Macleay Museum to publish has been sought. Wing Museum site. Enquiries: For your diary: our upcoming The Nicholson Museum remains open: +61 2 9036 5253 Produced by Marketing and Communications, events and programs. Monday to Friday, 10am to 4.30pm and [email protected] the University of Sydney, February 2018. 18/7135 the first Saturday of every month, 12 to 4pm ISSN 1449-0420 ABN 15 211 513 464 Closed on public holidays. Nicholson Museum CRICOS 00026A In the southern entrance to the Quadrangle General admission is free. +61 2 9351 2812 Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) +61 2 9351 7305 (fax) is a globally recognised certification Become a fan on Facebook [email protected] overseeing all fibre sourcing standards. Cover and above: Coffin for the lady Above: (Florence) Helen Wark, Above: Marble portrait of a Roman and follow us on Twitter. This provides guarantees for the Mer-Neith-it-es. NMR.29. textile study, Indo-Portuguese woman, second half of the first sydney.edu.au/museums University Art Gallery consumer that products are made See story page 16 chasuble detail, UA1990.325 century AD. Donated through The Hon Enquiries of woodchips from well-managed See story page 32 R P Meagher bequest 2011. Nicholson forests and other controlled sources Museum, NM2012.11 Sydney University Museums Administration +61 2 9351 6883 with strict environmental, economical See story page 27 +61 2 9351 2274 [email protected] and social standards. +61 2 9351 2881 (fax) [email protected] 1 Recent archaeological investigations We are developing an exhibition also seeking advice about the best in Arnhem Land date the earliest for the University’s new Chau Chak approach for the exhibition, including Buku-manapanmirri known occupation of the Australian Wing Museum that will showcase the how we embed Yolngu interpretation continent to about 65,000 years generations of art and knowledge and philosophies into its design. Coming together ago. Included among the findings of the Yolngu people housed at the are ground ochre and mica-rich University of Sydney. In September 2017, Assistant minerals used for pigments. A Curator, Indigenous Heritage Matt – conservative estimate suggests Historic collections held in museums, Poll and I visited art centres in Australia’s First Peoples have been art galleries and archives are part each of the main areas where the producing art in this country for some of the continuum of Aboriginal artworks were created to get these Preparing an exhibition of artworks by 3500 generations. and Torres Strait Islander people’s discussions underway. In Ramingining, Yolngu people for the new Chau Chak cultural heritage and practice. Art independent curator Djon Mundine Since the 1920s, staff of the University in its broadest sense continues as a OAM joined us. He played an integral Wing Museum, Rebecca Conway starts have visited and worked with Yolngu principal means of communicating role in acquiring works there in the people. The result of these shared and expressing the richness of 1980s. Our trip was incredibly positive with a visit to their homelands. endeavours is a rich collection of clan and community identities, and productive. Yolngu cultural heritage here at the religious knowledge and important University of Sydney. messages about Yolngu rights In 2018 we will bring artists from and responsibilities passed down the region to Sydney so we can Representing the work of many through time. continue working together on this important artists, the material major endeavour. includes paintings on bark and A vital part of developing our masonite, large-scale wooden and exhibition is consulting with the To find out more about the art woven sculptural works, historic communities, artists and descendants centres and communities, please visit: photographs, and ceremonial and whose heritage is represented in our www.bulabula.com.au domestic objects. The items come collections. We hope to inform people www.milingimbiart.com from three main geographic centres: about what we hold and engage with www.yirrkala.com Yurriwi-Milingimbi, Ramingining the community to better document and Yirrkala. and understand the materials. We are Rebecca Conway is Curator, Ethnography in the Macleay Museum Galiwinku - Elcho Island Maningrida Yurriwi - Milingimbi Nhulunbuy . R Yirrkala Oenpelli Ramingining Nangalala (Kunbalanya) ll r Yalangbara e e d iv a Havelock Falls R r Port Bradshaw . C e v R h i l t o y R Nourlangie o l rp B Caledon Bay e v Kakadu i r e L e d iv y n R l National Park G Man Arnhem Land Blue Djarrakpi Mud Bay Ro pe r Yolngu people own and manage a vast land and R iver saltwater estate. Aerial view on flight between 0 100 Yurriwi-Milingimbi and Nhulunbuy. We flew more kilometres than 200km via Galiwinku-Elcho Island, of Map source: CartoGIS Services, Warrumpi Band 'My Island Home' fame, to the College of Asia and the Pacific, © Australian National University township of Yirrkala.