"We came from the desert"

Left. Tarku Rosie King, Jumu Pinti Lake, 2011. 

Right. Daisy Japulija, Soak Water, 2010. 

Source: Tandanya

Taking advantage of the last few days of the study break, I decided to visit the Tandanya museum today. Little did I know, I should have checked their website before coming in as most of the exhibition area was closed off for a new exhibition opening tomorrow. Nevertheless, with the amazing artworks of the Mangkaja Arts, my visit to Tandanya proved to be once again an inspirational experience. Their exhibition was absolutely fascinating. If I had to describe the exhibition, I think it would be like entering into a candy-coloured world full of beautiful landscapes.

Jukuna Mona Chuguna, Tapu Country, 2008

Source: National Museum of Australia

Nyangkarni Penny K-Lyons, Nyilnigil, 2007.

Source: Source: National Museum of Australia

"We came from the Desert" really presents you a new perspective of Aboriginal art -  it is a fresh, new look but definitely still one deeply rooted in traditional culture. Different to the natural ochres normally used in "traditional" paintings which gave them a very earthy feel, these painting are vibrantly coloured in warm tones of yellows, red, greens, blues - all the colours of the rainbow. But like all Aboriginal art, they tell a story about their country, about land and about their ancestors. When you look at their paintings you can also still see the traditional techniques commonly used by Aboriginal artists living within this region which is in fact a mix of using dots, outlines and blocks of colours - a style representing the "meeting of desert and river cultures in the northwest corner of Australia...as people from the region were forced together in the town after the influx of Walmajarri and Wangkatjunga people from the Great Sandy Desert in the mid 20th Century" (1). Not only is each artwork diverse and unique in their own brush strokes, representations, whether abstract, symbolic or figurative, and use of textures and colours, I truly love the colourful expression which really gives an uplifting and light spirit to the gallery's atmosphere.

However, what I find most interesting about looking at paintings is actually the deciphering of what the works actually mean - which I tried to do by reading the captions the artist wrote beside their painting where they talked about what they were depicting. Some were so abstract that it was too hard for me to understand but as I slowly went through the gallery, some symbols become clearer and I did end up learning a few things - like how a waterhole is often depicted by a circle with a thick outline, mostly painted in blue and also sand hills, which were represented by repetitive lines accompanied often with dots painted in between them.

Wandjina Rockpainting 

Source: Free Katie Forum

Another things that struck me when looking through the exhibition was actually one painting, laid on the floor, which was made by two painters - something you don't come across often - a painting made by two artists. It was really interesting seeing two different styles integrated into one work, which is said to actually be a common practice between the artists in the Mangkaja Arts society.(2) Lastly, one of the other interesting things that I saw in the exhibition I thought was a painting representing the Wandjina, which I remember seeing in our first introductory lecture. Considered to hold the laws and Dreamtime story of how the land is formed and to be the creator and the Dreamtime father (3), the depiction of the Wandjina is a very controlled practice whereby only certain Aboriginal artists have such permission. Being able to see this rare depiction for myself I think was really amazing and just reminds me of how long the Aboriginal culture has been alive; from seeing the Wandjina on rock paintings to today, being drawn on canvas.

Overall, despite not being able to see the other exhibitions, it was yet again another eye-opening experience and I will definitely go back to see Jason Wing's exhibition of "The Other, Other" which I think will be pretty interesting, given the sculptures I saw near the entrance. (FYI: There should be an artist talk tomorrow at 5PM if you want to have a look!)

References:
(1) "Guide to Indigenous Art Centre 2010,"Art Collector, accessed September 28, 2011, http://www.artcollector.net.au/Assets/515/1/Mangkaja.pdf
(2) "Projects,"Mangkaja Arts, accessed September 28, 2011, http://www.mangkaja.com/projects.html
(3) "What are Wandjinas?"Creative Spirits,  accessed September 28, 2011, http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/arts/wandjina.html