Ⓥ 1.1 Indigenous Australian artists
Tracks
Track 1
Monday, June 24, 2024 |
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM |
Plaza Auditorium |
Overview
This session will be livestreamed from Brisbane for virtual delegates
Speaker
Dr Leah King-Smith
Queensland University of Technology
Indigenous Perspectives: Identity, Culture, and Connection to Country
Abstract
This panel discussion, hosted by Dr Leah King-Smith (QUT), features five Indigenous artists who explore themes of identity, culture, and connection to Country through their diverse practices. Robert Andrew, a Yawuru descendant, utilizes programmable machinery and natural materials to uncover historical and cultural narratives overshadowed by Western paradigms. Marianne Wobcke, an Indigenous Midwife and artist, integrates art with holistic health to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander birthing women. Amala Groom, a Wiradyuri conceptual artist, critiques colonialism and its impacts on spirituality through her virtual reality project ‘can’t buy me love,’ developed during her residency at UTS. Rea, an artist and cultural educator from the Gamilaraay, Wailwan, and Biripi peoples, has been at the forefront of Indigenous new media for over three decades, examining Indigenous identity and post-colonial experiences. Chantel Bates, a proud Murri woman, uses contemporary video art to reflect on her deep connection with land and Country, emphasizing the continuity of Indigenous teachings and their presence in modern and future landscapes. Each artist's work is a profound testament to their cultural heritage and creative expression, contributing significantly to the dialogue on Indigenous identity, and representation in contemporary practice.
Biography
Leah King-Smith is a Bigambul descendant, contemporary artist and QUT academic.
Ms Marianne Wobcke
PhD Candidate
Griffith University School of Health Sciences & SW and QCA
Co-presenter
Biography
Marianne Wobcke is an Indigenous Midwife, Registered Nurse and artist, born in Meanjin (Brisbane); with maternal connections to her grandmother’s land and Girramay mob in North Queensland. Inspired by 20 years of extensive experience with birthing and dying clients; Marianne enrolled in Queensland College of Art’s unique Indigenous program, to explore her Stolen Generation legacy and passion for the healing potentials of creative approaches. She graduated with First Class Honours in 2010, awarded several Griffith University medals and Golden Key life membership.
Recipient of the 2021 Australia Council “Ros Bower Award for Community Arts and Cultural Development” for her pioneering work integrating culturally aware, trauma-responsive creative approaches for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander birthing women, her inspiration to many has been recognised. Demonstrating her ongoing commitment to her profession, culture and art, Marianne is currently a dual arts/health PhD Candidate at Griffith University, School of Health Science & Social Work and QCA, continuing to explore the connection between art, holistic health and wellbeing.
Indigenous lead with The BIG ANXIETY RESEARCH CENTRE (BARC), UNSW she has presented “The Road Trip’ workshop for audiences interested in personal growth and transformation in regional and urban locations. As part of her PhD research, she guided a collaboration on a Virtual Reality, version of her maternal dreaming story; Perinatal Dreaming, which has been recently launched in the UK, Sydney, Brisbane and Warwick. It is currently being showcased at the Sheffield Doc/Festival – June 12th – 18th 2024.
Robert Andrew
Co-presenter
Biography
Born in 1965 in Perth, Australia, Andrew now lives and works in Meanjin (Brisbane). His recent solo exhibitions include Held within a word at Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA, Perth, 2023), and Within an utterance at Museum of Old and New Art (MONA, Hobart, 2022). Andrew’s work has been presented in major group exhibitions in Australia and Internationally including: 23rd Biennale of Sydney rīvus, Museum of Contemporary Art, 2022; 4th National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony, National Gallery of Australia’s (NGA), 2022; TarraWarra Biennial: Slow Moving Waters, Tarrawarra Museum of Art, 2021; Overlapping Magisteria: The 2020 Macfarlane Commissions, Australian Centre of Contemporary Art, 2020; Jinan Biennale, Jinan, China 2020; Yokohama Triennale, Japan, 2020; The National: New Australian Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2019; and Colony: Frontier Wars, National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 2018. His work is held in the collections of NGV, NGA, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Moreton Bay, Araluen Art Centre, and Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. In 2023 he was the recipient of Moreton Bay Regional Galleries’ 15 Artists acquisitive art prize. Andrew has a Doctor of Visual Arts (2019) and has completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Griffith University, Brisbane.
Robert Andrew is represented by Milani Gallery, Brisbane.
Chantel Bates
Artist
Co-presenter
Biography
Chantel (Shonny) Bates is a proud Murri woman with connections to Wakka Wakka Country. She is an emerging mixed media artist and interdisciplinary designer and visual communicator currently located in Meanjin. Her contributions to the Indigenous community are formed organically through connections with mobshe is devoted to strengthening and promoting inclusion of First Nations voices in the development Indigenous art. Heavily inspired by communityshe takes pride in using her knowledge to create storylines that hold an impactful voice for herself and those around her. She holds a Bachelor of Design from Queensland University of Technology majoring in Visual communications. Chantel incorporates her ever growing knowledge of Country into teaching and takes pride in reclaiming this rich culture to implement an Indigenous voice into future learners.
Here is a folder of files you may need - headshot and picture of my work in situ, can you please credit the photos to Topbunk when using. The video is my work that will be streaming for ISEA at my locations. I would like to have this playing behind me when I'm talking.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TBoWTtfLzstz_GjtradNf-Tr-klm-rq0?usp=sharing
Miss Amala Groom
Amala Groom
Co-presenter
Biography
Amala Groom is a Wiradyuri conceptual arts and cultural practitioner whose work proactively seeks to dismantle the Colonial Project by asserting the argument that colonialism is not just disadvantageous for First Peoples but is, in fact, antithetical to the human experience.
Selected appointments include Power Institute Foundation for Art and Visual Culture; The University of Sydney: Nicholas and Angela Curtis Cité Internationale des Arts Residency Fellowship (2024); Create NSW First Nations Creative Fellowship w/ State Library of NSW (2022-24); University of Technology Sydney: Inaugural Artist in Residence Program (2021).
Groom’s work is held by Artbank; Blacktown City Art Collection; Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre; Charles Sturt University; Deutsche Bank; and Western Sydney University.
Andrew Burrell is a practice-based researcher and educator exploring virtual and digitally mediated environments as a site for the construction, experience and exploration of memory as narrative. Their ongoing research investigates the relationship between imagined and remembered narrative and how the multi-layered biological and technological encoding of human subjectivity may be portrayed within, and inform the design of, virtual environments. Andrew’s networked projects in virtual and augmented environments have received international recognition. Andrew uses creative practice to research and understand the complexities of emerging and speculative technologies and is particularly interested in how these are implicated in more-than-human ecologies. This is exemplified in the current and ongoing series of projects—”overGround:underStory”. Andrew is a senior lecturer in Visual Communication and a co-founder of the Critical Visualisation research group at the University of Technology Sydney.
Rea
Co-presenter
Biography
For over three decades, r e a, a descendant of the Gamilaraay, Wailwan and Biripi peoples, has worked at the forefront of Australian Indigenous new media theory and practice in Australia and internationally. An artist, curator, activist, researcher and cultural educator, r e a explores themes of Indigenous identity, representation and the post-colonial experience across mediums, including photography, digital media, film, video and installation
Session chair
Leah King-Smith
Queensland University of Technology
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