Final Summary

This course has encouraged me to follow my own path of discovery and along the way I have discovered so much that I never knew before and developed my appreciation for Indigenous Art and Culture significantly. I now have a passion to support the strive for equality and fairness within the Indigenous Art Industry, as proud Australians I feel we are above what is currently taking place and we should do something about it.
I have found it really insightful to hear from actual members of the Indigenous community and Indigenous artists who are currently working, it makes a significant difference to simply reading about it in books and hearing it from the mouths of Anthropologists who don't really understand the inner workings of a different culture and can't explain it on a personal level.

Molly Pwerle

Molly Pwerle’s country is Atnwengerrp and her language is Anmatyerre and Alyawarr.  She was born in approximately 1919 (no records exist) and has had little exposure to western culture. In fact, Molly picked up a paintbrush for the first time in 2004. 

 Left: 'Bush Melon',  2006

I came across Molly Pwerle's work whilst browsing through some Indigenous Art websites and was immediately entranced by her expressive use of colour and line work. The texture she is able to achieve through her style is something i've only ever seen achieved within the Indigenous Australian style. It amazes me how such simple mark making can have such an overall beautiful effect and tell such colourful stories.

http://www.dacou.com.au/aboriginal-artists/molly-pwerle/cat_36277.html

Aboriginal Works and Artful Dodgers

Whilst researching for my essay I happened to come across this article;

'Aboriginal Works and Artful Dodgers'
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/19/1063625217241.html

The article explains how the exploitation of Indigenous artists in Australia has headlined world news. Art dealers preying on Indigenous people who sometimes only have their artwork to rely on for income beside government payments; purchasing artworks for less than one-tenth of their actual market value... the list goes on.

I found this article to be incredibly shocking! I always knew that there was an issue of exploitation within the Indigenous art industry, however, I didn't realise that it was quite as extreme as this. It saddens me that art dealers are strategically preying on these artists because they know that they need money to live and are quite happy to part with their masterpieces for a small fee if it means that they can provide food and health services for their families. When you look at the profit these pieces make on the international market, it would still remain quite feasible to even pay the artist half of the earnings. And in a market that is continually on the rise, there is safety in knowing that a profit will be generated on every piece of artwork that is auctioned off. What makes me really disappointed is knowing that if these works had been done by a non-Indigenous artist in Australia, they would receive more than adequate payment for their work, as well as benefit from extensive marketing which would land them with more work. Unfortunately, the artists who do produce these works aren't publicised very highly at all, more often than not, their name is simply written in small script next to the description and that is about it.
In my opinion, the laws need to be re-written so that this type of thing stops happening. We hear so much about cross-cultural equality in Australia and how we should make a ban on racism and treat all Australian citizens fairly, however, if acts like this continue to happen, we are really no closer to reaching this equality than we were 50 years ago. Whilst there are artists out there such as Richard Bell and Ryan Presley who are trying to get this message across through their artwork, it isn't enough to get people's attention, and quite frankly, for most non-Indigenous Australians, because they don't know about these happenings, they don't seem to care about it. There needs to be a national campaign enforced to make people care about this issue, then we can have hope that a solution will be found.

Richard Bell

Richard Bell was born in Charleville in 1953, into the Kamilaroi tribe. Richard was a leader in the first group of urban Indigenous artists whose work provided a means of expression during the lead up to the 1988 bi-centenary of white Australian settlement. During this time, Richard focused on 'challenging non-Indigenous artists who appropriated Indigenous imagery in their work' & the perceived notions of traditional and modern Indigenous art. As well, his work addresses contemporary issues such as religion, art & politics.

Richard's works are described as 'totemic animal, dot application, cross hatching and traditional hand stencils' examining 'the historical treatment of Aboriginal people after European settlement'. These are seen as Richard's response to issues of oppression, frustration and discrimination. 

Richard Believes that " … it is my job as an artist to test people's resolve, to provoke thought and that's what I do, I provoke thought and discussion."

I took interest in Richard Bell based on his morals and reasons for why he produces his art. His beliefs relate strongly to the topic that I wish to cover in my major essay. He once said; "White culture took away my tribal language and in return gave me a language that, on the social level, doesn't work." This relates to the information I researched on the way that Western civilisation has claimed ownership of Indigenous culture and history - Bell speaks from a first hand experience about how he has noticed the way non-Indigenous people have taken over his culture and forced them to conform, and for a lot of Indigenous people it is hurtful and provokes anger towards the white settlers.

                 Top: Bell's Theorem   2002                                        Above: Life on a mission   2009

Above: One Day You'll All Be Gone (Bell's Theorem) 2011

Bell uses his words incredibly well, although they may be quite confronting and would make many people feel uncomfortable, that is what makes them so successful. They cause a stir, and when something causes a stir, people tend to take notice and something can actually be done. His pieces target so many issues that Indigenous people face within society and they are so well known that people don't need many words to understand what Bell's pieces are implying. He targets the exploitation of Indigenous art in Australia, the stereotypes that have been forced upon Indigenous people without motif, and the way that western civilisation have taken over a land that they inhabited after another culture (as a few examples). The contrast in his work from the patchwork colours to the stark whites clearly represents the cultural divide between the Indigenous people and the non-Indigenous people of Australia. In some pieces is can be quite confronting as it seems to label us under one blanket colour - however, that is what non-Indigenous people tend to do to the Aborigine people - many class them as one body of people and don't acknowledge that they have their own colonies (like we have countries) and that each clan is vastly different. I greatly admire Richard Bell's ability to express his mind so openly through his artwork and I feel that we need more artists like him that actually try to make a difference in a bold, overpowering way that has been proven to work a lot more effectively than most campaigns that try and encourage positive behaviour etc. 

www.kooriweb.org/bell/

www.milanigallery.com.au/artist/richard-bell

Essay Idea

Whilst reading the article 'Who owns the past? Aborigines as captives of the archives', by Henrietta Fourmile, (1989), I came across a quote that sparked both interest and questions inside that I may use as a topic for my final essay.

"The past is the possession of those in power; the past belongs to the victor."

In this section of the article it went onto compare the Aboriginal people to the Native Indians of North America and how the white settlers came and claimed these new lands and of everything that resided upon it. The white settlers were then the sole owners of the Native Indian culture and its histories, as far as they were concerned, because they held power. The article implies that the European settlers have taken a similar approach when they relocated to Australia.

Further along in the article it mentioned this;

"To be an Aborigine is having non-Aboriginies control the documents from which other non-Aboriginies write their version of our history."

I find this quote shocking, but only because of its relevance in today's society. Western society has taken control of so many different cultures purely because we hold power and believe that we are helping these other cultures by managing their affairs. Whilst the west holds so much power, these other cultures are forced to conform to the ways of Western Civilisation and abandon their own ways of life and cultural practices. When you read history books of these cultures, more often than not, they have been written by western anthropologists who have studied these cultures, they don't actually belong to them. So how on earth are these people going to have a true understanding of the history and cultural significance of certain events and customs within these other civilisations?

From an art point of view, I look and see how the influence of Western Civilisation has evolved the traditional art style of the Indigenous people - not necessarily in a positive way. When we look at very early traditional Indigenous Art there is so much we don't understand, but to the native people there is such depth in meaning and story telling within these paintings that is used to teach the next generation the ways of the people. However, as time has progressed, these traditional artists have been forced out by the pressure to conform to the direction of non-indigenous art directors and audiences. There is much desire for Indigenous art nowadays, but not necessarily in its true context - people just want the beautiful colours and patterns and textures to admire. And the market surge for this art style has resulted in exploitation of Indigenous artists, whereby non-Indigenous art dealers and curators have taken almost half of the profit for their own, and due to carefully placed obstacles and barriers the Indigenous people have their hands tied.

Ryan Presley

Ryan Presley is an Indigenous visual artist from Queensland. Ryan’s work is an exploration of societal power structures and perceptions. In his work, Ryan explores the concept of how traditions and views are formed, who this benefits and who this discredits.

Presley's series entitled 'Blood Money' is one that immediately caught my interest. Its bold, in your face message is so powerful that I feel if publicised properly, it could make a big difference in today's society which is filled with cultural imbalance and lack of understanding.

                                                       'Blood Money',

 2010, Ryan Presley

http://www.janmantonart.com/  accessed  07/09/12

The way I interpret this body of work is that our actual currency contains the faces of highly regarded people within society that have become renowned for services they have contributed to the development of the Australian colony. However, if this is the case, why is it that there are very few Indigenous Australians pictured on our currency? They for example, are the true inhabitants of Australia, this is their country; we came here thousands of years after they were already here so why don't they get any recognition on the face of their country's currency? Instead, these people shed blood for reasons that they did not understand, and couldn't comprehend after the white settlers arrived on Australian soil. They paid the ultimate sacrifice.

This relates to the exploitation of the work by Yolngu/Manharrngu bark painter David Malangi Daymirringu of the Australian one dollar note which was used without his permission, let alone knowledge. He was then paid a year later with an unacceptable amount for the application of work which wouldn't be acceptable in today's society, and would never had have happened if a non-Indigenous had designed the note - they would have been paid a healthy amount for their work.

http://www.artstartgrant.com.au/ArtStarters/Current/51?name=Ryan%20Presley

Kevin Kropinyeri Jr.

Being from the River Murray region near Murray Bridge, I came across a local Indigenous Artist who is making quite a name for himself. Kevin Kropinyeri Jr. grew up along the River Murray in the towns of Tailem Bend and Murray Bridge (very close to my home). He didn't pursue a painting career until 2005. 

He uses bright colours and bold designs which he describes as Contemporary Aboriginal Art. Being from the Ngarrindjeri region, dot paintings aren't the traditional style, however, Kevin still enjoys creating these tedious works of art. 

His work is continually evolving and is aimed at representing River Life, Dreamtime Stories and Issues that affect Aboriginal people.

 Left: Kevin working

I really admire Kevin's work, it is beautiful to look at and I personally admire the patience required to paint these pieces. I also appreciate the subject matter he chooses to paint as it is clearly things that are close to his heart and he is passionate about. His work is of true value to my local area.

Roads Cross

This week I visited the 'Roads Cross' exhibition at the Flinders Gallery. It was an interesting experience to view pieces of 'Contemporary Indigenous art' as I hadn't previously recognised any in everyday life before. I find the concept of Indigenous art influencing contemporary art to be something that has a lot of potential. Mixing old and new can bring together varied age demographics and is a way that mankind can document the changes that occur throughout time. It is also a means to bridge the gap between our two cultures and develop understanding about one another.
However, I did tend to find that I was confused by the actual meaning or intent of some of the pieces, I actually had to read the description to be able to appreciate the purpose.
Some of the pieces were simply stunning to look at and really embraced the Indigenous appreciation for the earth and its materials, but simply used them in a different way that was quite contemporary.

 Left: 'Drift' (2008), Lauren Berkowitz

http://blogs.flinders.edu.au/flinders-news/tag/roads-cross/   accessed 26-08-12

As most of the work was produced by non-Indigenous artists it was really intriguing to see how they interpreted their understanding of Indigenous culture into their work. There is definitely a difference in the level of understanding and cultural relevancy that I could identify between traditional Indigenous art done by Indigenous people and that which is done by non-Indigenous people. The concept of the cultural cross over is debatable in my own mind. In some ways I find it to be a positive step towards cross-cultural understanding and acceptance, however, it also poses the problem of losing the significance and meaning of traditional Indigenous art. These people used their art to record their stories and history for future generations, and by adapting it to a non-Indigenous context, that richness of meaning and depth of importance is somewhat lost in translation, it becomes a piece to be admired for its aesthetics rather than its meaning.
Personally, I feel as though in order for Contemporary Indigenous art to be successful, non-Indigenous artists need to experience the culture first hand, spend time living with Indigenous cultures and practice their ways in order to gain that true understanding of their art. There was definitely evidence of this amongst some of the works as they possessed that true honesty and passion which implied the artist had a close connection to their work.

The Colebrook Reconciliation Park

This week I visited the Colebrook Reconciliation Park at Eden Hills. 
It is home to a collection of truly moving and historical pieces of Indigenous art and sculpture that represents the history and heartache that was brought about by the assimilation of half-caste children into western society. As I strolled amongst the native trees and read about the history of this site I could feel this strong sense of spirituality radiating from the earth. To have an area such as this that has been left virtually untouched by construction provides a refreshing escape from the hustle and bustle of city living. It provides this exclusivity that registers a sense of peace, despite that pain that this particular site had caused in the past.
The sculpture of 'The Grieving Mother' is a hauntingly stunning piece that allows everyone to connect with it and understand the underlying emotion and story that it represents, for most people have lost something near and dear to them in their life, it may not be on the same level, but it is still relatable. 

 'The Grieving Mother'  'The Pool of Tears'

'The Pool of Tears' was my favourite piece at the site. The detail and emotion portrayed in the carved faces of the fountain was amazing. It really makes you realise the vast majority of people that an event such as this has an effect on, and questions whether the white settlers were too naive to realise that they were effectively tearing families apart and causing more pain than was necessary.
Scattered around the site were traditional Indigenous dot paintings which strengthened the cultural ties to the site and made me feel like an 'outsider' of sorts looking in on history and seeing the story from the side that we aren't normally educated about. The recreation park also provided a small camping area that was very environmentally friendly and reflective of camp sites the Indigenous people lived in. It made the park very inviting and showed me that it is a place where families are encouraged to come and reflect on the past and move on with their lives as times have changed and society has become more accepting. On the wall facing the road is painted a quote that I found to be very fitting and summarised the significance of the site;

'We cannot forget the past, but we can come together and unite as one, in friendship and forgiveness and honouring each other's culture'.

Tindale Masks

When at the Australian Aboriginal Cultures Museum, I came across these 'Tindale Masks'. These were worn for an initiation performance by young Aboriginal men in 1947. 

The names given to these masks, I believe, tend to reflect the vigour and energy of the performances in which they were worn. The material which these masks were made of appear to be a representation of the strength and durability of the boys that were soon to become men. 

The colours and materials used reflect the Aboriginal people's strong association with the land, in the way that they are very organic and the colour palette is quite natural and taken directly from the earth. 

I feel that the shapes and actual subject matter is quite unusual and interesting in comparison to what I have grown up viewing. It shows to me, the way in which different cultures have different interpretations of beauty or fear. It also indicates to me that this must be the way in which the Aboriginal people visualised characters from their dreaming stories. 

From just viewing these masks, I can already begin to imagine the type of dances that would be performed with these masks.

Tindale Masks: Australian Aboriginal Cultures Museum

Log Coffins

I came across these artefacts whilst on our museum visit and the concept and story behind them attracted me. 

It is a tradition of the Aboriginal people that when someone dies, their bodies are painted in the relevant totemic symbols of their people, sung over and mourned. Their body is then taken to their traditional homeland and left to decompose. Later on, their bones are collected and placed inside of these hollowed out logs. White ants are used to eat away the wood from the middle, creating a tube like structure. Once the bones have been placed inside, the log coffins are placed upright and left to decompose.

These coffins are beautifully decorated with totemic designs of their clan, and the bones are painted with red ochre. 

This entire burial ceremony is said to ensure the safe arrival of the spirit of the deceased on its perilous journey from the earth to the land of the dead.

Log Coffins in the Aboriginal Memorial (National Gallery of Australia)

Found at:   http://nga.gov.au/AboriginalMemorial/home.cfm

I feel that this entire process shows how much the Aboriginal people valued the land in the fact that they are giving their bodies back to mother nature who has given them so much. The respect that these people have for members of their clan is truly inspirational. The ceremonies that they conduct show how the Aboriginal people embrace death as another part of life and believe that there is something to look forward to beyond the grave. And because there is this strong belief, their families want to provide safe passage for their loved ones. Examples of such respect is beautiful to see within cultures, maybe more so because it is something not highly evident in our own society. That is one of the issues I have, being part of a western cultural group. We have been brought up lacking the education and enforcement of true values such as respect, and consequently, this causes major rifts in our inner social groups. In this sense, I envy the Aboriginal people and their overall sense of love and family, and their commitment to one another. 

Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery

After our visit to the Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery, I began to truly understand the vast difference in our culture compared to that of the Aboriginal people. A lot of the stories relating to artefacts on display were left unspoken which I believe is because there can be a lot of misunderstanding when translated between two cultures, however, I feel there is also more to this. These artefacts are a representation of a culture that we have no relation to, so what the Aboriginal people may think is a very important part of their culture, we may not understand the significance. Whereas, we see those artefacts as a representation of how another culture learns,  grows and survives, and that in itself is where our interest is generated from. Having the equivalent objects/purposes we are familiar with, but approached from a different cultural perspective can be more meaningful to people who have no previous experience with the cultural background of the Aboriginal people. Methodologies can be such a powerful representation of a culture, and these objects in themselves are art and their stories can be understood just by knowing their purpose in everyday life.

This exhibition really reflected the Aboriginal people's connection with the Earth and nature. I have such an appreciation of how they were able to survive and prosper without the need for anything produced in the Industrial Revolution. Their tools and everything they needed to survive were taken from the Earth in such a way as not to disrupt the balance. With this comes such a feeling of unity and serenity. There is also the feeling that layers and layers of history, knowledge and meaning run deep within every artefact and artwork that has been preserved.

Well worth a visit!
Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery

Introduction

I grew up in a small town named Jervois, which lies along the River Murray near Tailem Bend. This area is the land of the Ngarrindjeri people - more exclusively the Ponde people. During school - both primary and secondary - I was exposed to some cultural learning about the Ngarrindjeri people. One of the main dreamtime stories I remember being told was that of the Rainbow Serpent and how it created the River Murray. This was one of my favourite stories and I found it extremely interesting as it explored the nature of 'creation' in such a different way to what Western society tries to instil in our minds.
Even closer to home, when I was a child, there were actually ancient Aboriginal canoes and weapons found buried beneath the river bank of our swamps which we graze our dairy cattle on. I found it all very exciting and interesting at the time to know that it had been there all along and we had never noticed it before. All of the artefacts were taken away by the Government and preserved.