Week 5

'Better World Arts is an innovative social enterprise working with Aboriginal artists primarily from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjara Lands, Yuendumu and other remote communities from Australia.'

Better World Arts amalgamated in 1996 with the Kaltijiti Arts centre situated in the isolated Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands (APY Lands). This area is located in the north west corner of South Australia.

The Better World Arts group produces fine handcrafts that are made in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, Peru and the Tibetan community in Nepal. Although the products are produced overseas, it is a collaboration between the APY Aboriginal Lands and these overseas sources that the production of such amazing hand crafted products are born. The opportunities created by the Better Works Art group allows for remote communities and cultures to have a sustainable economy.

The products available expanse over a large range including jewellery, paintings, scarves, rugs, home wares and more. The patterns and prints come directly from the Aboriginal artist and illustrate numerous dream time stories, which are then turned into the final products.

Silver Brooch - 'IWI944'

by Inawinytji Williamson

This brooch is sold under the Better World Arts group on behalf on Inawinytji Williamson, the artist.

The brooch illustrates the dream time story of the Seven Sisters who travel across the land, trying to escape from a bad man. 

The story explains how the Seven Sister create rock holes along their journey while walking on dry creek beds. To flee the man, the Sisters leave earth and take to the sky. The Seven Sisters and the man can be seen today amongst the Orion Constellation.

Overall the brooch has a unique and meaningful quality. The lines have a continuous flow that moves yours eye around the piece. The rock holes are created using large circles with a smaller circle within. The inner circle has a thicker line to emphasis that it is a significant part of the story. Singular lines are places next to each other to form a path between each rock hole and to show there is a connection.

Overall the brooch design by Inawinytji Williamson is beautifully created, with a complex definition yet it is expressed in the simplest of forms.

Week 4

"Honey", 2011

Oil on plywood

180cm  x 180 cm

Ildiko Kovacs

Ildiko Kovacs is a contemporary artist that has used various mediums over the course of her painting career. At the age of seventeen Kovacs began her further education for three years specialising in art. After travelling around Europe, looking through galleries and museums Kovacs began her trip back to Australia to start paining.

Working with various artists gave Kovacs the edge and confidences which is seen with her contemporary abstract style of painting. A pivotal point in Kovacs career was in 1995 when she travelled  around Australia and settle in Broome for a period of time. This experience changed the way she saw her own painting from a European and American style to an Australian focus on the landscape. 

Over the year Kovacs line work has been created with paint brushes. Recent years have seen Kovacs move from paint brushes to rollers which has expanded her pattern and mark making results. 

Above is Kovacs painting called Honey. Using oil on plywood, she has created movement throughout the piece showing the Australian landscape at the same time. Looking from a far, this piece is abstract and the meaning behind the painting is lost without the paintings description. Although the meaning is lost, the appreciation of the work is not pushed aside. Each line moves and interlines, creating a continuous flow across the piece. The colour scheme is warm and gives a homely feeling which everyone can relate to. 

Recently, Honey was exhibited and the main advertising piece for the exhibition Roads Cross at the Flinders Gallery in Adelaide. This exhibition saw a contemporary direction in Australian Art with artists using various mediums and forms to present their work.

Overall, Ildiko Kovacs has a unique contemporary style which incorporates the Australian landscape. Her work most definitely is an experience to see in life not just in print. The textures, patterns and the detail of the work really add another level and appreciation for her work.

Week 3

As mentioned in my last post, I will be looking at the Yuendumu School Doors.

The School Doors are something that have intrigued me with their colours, patterns and how movement is created through each door.  These School Doors were created in 1983 as a project started by the community elders and artists of the Yuendumu region. The Yuendumu region is located 300km North West of Alice Springs and is seen as a remote community.

This project started as something to help refurbish and change the attitude of the Yuendumu school students environment so they can understand and respect their heritage. The Doors within this school were predominately battered and graffitied, and the community elders decided that they needed to be repainted or replaced. The community elders made the decision to repaint the school doors with dreamtime stories that originate from the Yuendumu region. This decision saw the Aboriginal Art movement move from traditional etchings on the ground to using canvas and modern material.

The main contributing artists for this project were Paddy Japaljarri Stewart, Paddy Japaljarri Sims, Roy Jupurrurla and a few others that are now deceased. These artists collaborated with local community members with the Dreaming designs and negotiating the content which is to be produced.

As a series, the Doors work together to express a range of Aboriginal Dreamtime stories that are particular to the Yuendumu region. After numerous years passed, the condition of the refurbish school doors began to degrade due to wind damage and graffiti once again. The Yuendumu region entrusted the Door series to the South Australian Museum rather than selling each one individually. As part of the conditions of the the Doors being placed in the South Australian Museum, the Doors were to be restored to their original condition and placed on display for all to see.

Above is Door number 4: Old Men and Boomerangs 

Painted by Paddy Japaljarri Sims

'Old Men and Boomerangs' is a dreamtime story featuring men getting their boomerangs ready for battle. The lower half of the door features axes and boomerangs each positioned so they flow into each other, where as the top half shows boomerangs, waterhole, snakes and tracks of flacons. The predominate colours used are brown, red, yellow, white and navy and these help express the emotions and tell the dreamtime story. The emotions from this door is warm and shows two sides battling for each other possibly for the land.

Overall, the Yuendumu School Doors have sparked my interest into the patterns and colours expressed through each of the paintings. All of the patterns flow into each other and draw the viewers eye around the piece to gain the full experience and it is something that takes your breath away. 

Week 2

This week brought on an excursion to the South Australian Museum.
The SA Museum is home to one of the largest Aboriginal collections which describes and sheds light on Aboriginal Art, Culture and their societies. The Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery expands over two floors and is a great exhibition to start at, for any one who is new to and those that are intrigued in Aboriginals lifestyle.

This Gallery was opened in March 2000 and was refurbish late last year (2011). The refurbishment saw the introduction of new lighting, signage and interactive screens.

The ground floor of the exhibition features mostly the hunting, gathering and craftsmanship techniques and various tools used. The center part of this floor features the main aboriginal tribes that inhabited South Australia and Adelaide.

The first floor introduces Aboriginal dreamtime stories, craftsmanship of carking, basket weaving and bark paintings. Similar to the lower floor, the inner section features information about Aboriginal tribes around Australia.

To appeal to all ages, interactive computer screens are situated around the floors allowing viewers to follow areas in more depth. The comfy lounges match quite nicely making the viewer linger a little longer.

Both of these floors are hard to navigate as they do not have a natural flow. The inner spaces break up the overall floor, but they do not have a flow into each section. The dark atmosphere lighting also does not help with the navigation, but maybe this is the intension. The intension to make your own path through the exhibition and discover each section are your own pace.

Overall, the exhibition is insightful and gives the viewer a good understanding into what Aboriginal lifestyles are. This exhibition was a great place for me to start to grasp aspects that intrigue and inspire me to look further. In particular I was intrigued in the first floor display with the dreamtime section. The Yuendumu School Doors was a particular interest that sparked my attention. The marks and patterns created movement and describes dreamtime stories. The next post will feature more on the Yuendumu School Doors.

The link below is to the South Australian Museum website that features the Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery.

http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/whatson/whattosee/permanent/aacg