Indigenous arts and culture - News and events

Events | Featured projects | Call for entries | Announcements

Events

Meriba Gidhal: Torres Strait Island Treasures of the Margaret Lawrie Collection - Brisbane and online

24 October 2009 – 28 February 2010

This exhibition offers an insight into the myths and legends of the Torres Strait Islander people from the eastern, central and western regions. It features watercolours, drawings, photographs and books from the Margaret Lawrie Collection, which the UNESCO Memory of the World Register has acknowledged as being of national significance. Most of the art was created by Torres Strait islanders who worked with Lawrie between 1964 and 1973. State Library of Queensland.

Jettison Wove - Queensland

Touring Atherton, Yarrabah, Lockhart River, Erub Arts Centre, Darnley Island, Torres Strait: 22 October – 3 November; Thursday Island: 8 February – 5 March 2010

Jettison Wove is an exploration of contemporary weaving by Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait artists. The artists combine the use of discarded and man-made materials with time-honoured techniques and forms to create vessels imbued with a permanence not previously associated with their traditional weavings of natural fibres. Various locations.

Ninuku Artists - Melbourne

23 March – 10 April 2010

Alcaston Gallery presents new works from Ninuku Artists. Ninuku Arts Centre is the most westerly community in the APY lands representing artists from the communities of Kalka and Pipalyatjara. This region is in the far north-west of South Australia, close to the tri-nation border of WA, NT & SA. Ninuku Arts (meaning Bilby in Pitjantjatjara) represents artists painting strong, story based work. Ninuku Arts is an Indigenous owned art centre. Some Ninuku artists are Renee Fox, Maxine Mick, Molly Miller, Samuel Miller. Alcaston Gallery, 11 Brunswick Street Fitzroy.

The Dreamers - Sydney

9 May 2009 – 26 April 2010

This exhibition celebrates the lives and work of eight distinguished Aboriginal artists who have contributed significantly to Australia's cultural landscape. Profiling major bodies of work by Kutuwulumi Purawarrumpatu (Kitty Kantilla), Ronnie Tjampitjinpa, Rusty Peters, Dr David Malangi, John Mawurndjul, Ginger Riley Munduwalawala, Judy Watson and Munggurrawuy Yunupingu from the Gallery's collection, the exhibition draws comparisons with key works by other artists with whom they share a synergy, each creating a new vision. Art Gallery of NSW.

Emerging Elders: Honouring Senior Indigenous Artists - Canberra

3 October 2009 – 14 June 2010

In Indigenous Australian arts, beginning a career in painting or sculpture later in life is neither new nor uncommon, but practically the norm for many living in remote or regional areas. The artists in Emerging Elders are self-taught, and have only over the last decade created and consistently shown their work. The works are bold and contrasting and they illuminate the individual artists' culture and individuality. National Gallery of Australia.

Tayenebe - touring Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide

Canberra 1 March – 16 July 2010

Tayenebe means 'exchange'. Over the past three years more than twenty-five Tasmanian Aboriginal women have journeyed together across the island in a process of cultural retrieval of the techniques of basket making. Tayenebe includes contemporary fibre work made during the project alongside historical pieces from the Museum's collection as well as a video and blog. National Museum of Australia.

Dhari a Krar: Headdresses and masks from the Torres Strait - Canberra

Ongoing

Dhari a Krar, meaning 'headdresses and masks' in the western Torres Strait language of Kala Lagaw Ya, brings together a diverse collection of masks, headdresses and dance objects from the late 1800s to the present. The exhibition explores their continuing significance to Torres Strait Islander cultures. National Museum of Australia.

Featured projects

Putipula online gallery

January 2010

Putipula Gallery stocks artwork from community based Aboriginal art centres in the remote Central Desert region of the 'APY Lands' (Anangu/Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara). Personal visits to remote Aboriginal communities are used to source this magnificent artwork and through this travel, strong relationships between the Art Centres and Putipula Gallery have been developed. Art centres include: Ernabella Arts (Pukatja, SA), Iwantja Arts (Indulkana SA), Kaltjiti Arts (Fregon, SA), Kaltjiti Arts (Fregon, SA), Mimili Maku Arts & Crafts (Via Alice Springs, NT), Ninuku Artists (Kalka, SA), Papunya Tjupi Arts (Papunya, NT), Tjala Arts (Amata, SA), Tjungu Palya Arts (Nyapari, SA), Warlukurlangu Artists (Yuendemu, NT).

Craft Australia launches on-line forum right way - the future of Indigenous art and design

September 2009 – February 2010

Craft Australia has launched its biennial national on-line forum right way - the future of indigenous craft and design. The forum discussions examine Indigenous design education led by Alison Page, ethical engagement led by Kevin Murray and authenticity for Indigenous designs led by Trish Barnard. As background to these discussions, each of the forum leader's papers, from the Selling Yarns conference held at the National Museum of Australia in March of this year, are presented.  The online forum title came from seeing Indigenous artists with the slogan on t-shirts at the 2008 Darwin Indigenous Art Fair and the extensive interest that was generated around the issues of sustainability, ethical craft and design practice.

Call for entries

Young Indigenous Writers' Initiative

Ongoing

In 2008, the Federation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages (FATSIL) announced the launch of the Young Indigenous Writers Initiative. The Young Indigenous Writer's Initiative is a mentoring program run by FATSIL that helps young Indigenous writers to develop writing skills and get work published. The aim of the program is to foster and promote the next generation of Indigenous writers in Australia.

Indigenous Media Training Scholarship - New South Wales

Ongoing

This scholarship offers Indigenous people in NSW the opportunity to enrol in Metro Screen training courses. Scholarships are awarded on a first come, first served basis. Courses are listed on the Metro Screen website.

Announcements

Sundance Film Festival selects Bran Nue Dae

10 December 2009, opening Australia 14 January 2010

Bran Nue Dae will have its USA premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, a high profile independent film festival. Filmed in Western Australia, the musical road-movie Bran Nue Dae is a new Australian film set in Broome. The film follows the journey of a young man, in the summer of 1969, on the run from his mission. Written by Rachel Perkins, Reg Cribb and Jimmy Chi, the film was produced by Robyn Kershaw and Graeme Isaac with cinematography by Andrew Lesnie. The cast includes Jessica Mauboy, Geoffrey Rush, Ernie Dingo, Missy Higgins, Ningali Lawford-Wolf and Broome locals Rocky McKenzie and Stephen Baamba Albert. Bran Nue Dae opens in Australia from 14 January 2010.

Key online resources

• Aboriginal Art Directory
• The Black Book - Indigenous Portal
• Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
• Message Club - Indigenous online space for children
• Message Stick - ABC online
• Vibe (the Deadlys)
• Centre for Appropriate Technology
• Reconciliation Australia
• The Institute for Aboriginal Development
• IAD Press - National Indigenous Publishing
• Indigenous Community News Network
• Indigenous language map

Indigenous peoples

• Eora: Aboriginal Sydney, 1770-1850
• Garma
• Indigenous Australians - online exhibitions at the Mitchell Library
• Mission Voices - Koorie
• Narungga people, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
• Nyoongar people - Murdoch University
• Sacred Ground
• Wallumedegal - Aboriginal History of Ryde
• A brief Aboriginal History of Ryde
• Bundle (also known as Bon-del, Bundal, Bundell or Burreach)

Arts and culture

• Twelve Canoes
• ANKAAA - Northern Territory Top End and Kimberley Indigenous art centres
• Adjahdura Land
• Desart - Indigenous art centres in Central Australia
• Dust Echoes
• iDIDJ Australia
• Koori Heritage Trust - Victoria
• Bruce Pascoe with AIATSIS, The Little Red Yellow Black Book
• Ngaanyatjarra Regional Arts
• Queensland Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency (QIAMEA)
• Roebourne Art Group
• Indigenous Torres Strait Islander Art
• Tiwi Art
• UMI Arts- Far North and West Queensland
• Us Mob
• Warlukurlangu Artists' Aboriginal Association
• Magabala Books

Media and broadcasting

• Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA)
• Imparja Television
• Waru - hosted by PY Media in APY Lands