Awabakul to Wanaruah Artists Forum

Saturday, 23 October 2010 00:00

On Saturday 23 October we held a stimulating forum of ideas and issues about indigenous art.

One of our special guests was Jeffrey Samuels, one of the founders of Boomali Artists Iniative, as well as local artists Les Elvin, Noel Phillips, and Craig Layer. 

 

 

What does it mean as an artist to make art outside of the popular and respected Western Desert or Arnhem Land communities.

What if you are not a cool, hip, urban young thing either?

Yet like them your art is about you, family and your relationship to your own country: the quest for identity?

How does contemporary east coast art fit into this paradigm?

These issues face many indigenous people using art as a means of connecting to both their past and their present.

These are issues also being considered by art collectors and curators as they seek to make meaning of the contemporary indigenous art scene.

This forum provided a space to discuss these contentious issues with artists, curators, collectors, writers and gallerists.

Jeffery Samuels