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Australian Abundance Kathmandu savors the
richness of Aboriginal creativity By NIRAJ POUDYAL Nepalese know Australia as a highly
developed nation built by white people who immigrated there beginning in the late 18th
century. But few are familiar with the civilization, art and culture of Aboriginals who
have been inhabiting the country for about 50,000 years. The Australian Embassy in Kathmandu in
conjunction with Siddartha Art Gallery and Babar Mahal Revisited used an effective way of
filling that gap: by displaying Aboriginal art from West Arnhem Land titled "Seasons
of Kunwinjku" (pronounced as Goon Wing Goo). The collection of 13 contemporary
indigenous Australian paintings by eight Australian artists and 13 photographs reflected
the stylistic techniques employed by Kunwinjku people over 50,000 years and the terrain
and flora and fauna of West Arnhem Land. Among the artwork and photographs, one set
provided the introduction while the others depicted the 12 months of West Arnhem Land. The artists, members of a number of
Kunwinjku clans of West Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, included Tony Bangalang, Thompson
Yulidjirri, Gabriel Maralngurra, Lawerence Nganjmirra, Danny Djorlom Nalorlmorn, Peter
Nabarlambarl, Lafty Nabardayal Nadamerrele, Samuel Namundja. "The main objective of this kind of
exhibition is to exchange the cultural and artistic beliefs of two friendly countries
among their citizens," said Australian Ambassador Crispin Conroy, inaugurating the
show. "Art is central to Aboriginal life and each symbol within a piece of art has a
multitude of meanings," he said. The occasion was the 15th anniversary of Siddartha
Art Gallery. Aboriginal art is a familiar and popular
genre in Australia. The contemporary Aboriginal Art movement started gaining pace in
1970s. The Aboriginal people used to express their culture through ceremonial practices
such as body painting, wood carving, sand sculptures and rock art. The works on display from September 29 to
October 3 were painted in the 1990s. The Australian government's Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade purchased them in 1994 from the Hogorth Galleries Aboriginal Art Center,
Sydney. The paintings have toured many cities, including Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok,
Tokyo, Seoul, Dhaka, Mexico City, Manila, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Maracaibo, Bogota,
Willington, Harare, Nairobi, Lagos and Rome. Most of the works were the manifestations
of the natural heritage of Australia. Some were on kangaroos and birds and others were on
fish, turtles and dragons. The work "Yekke" was on brolga and kangaroo.
"Bangkerreng" depicted different species of turtles and fishes.
"Kundjewk" was a combination of flora and fauna of that part of the continent. Some of the works demonstrated the
spiritual beliefs, lifestyles and the ancient legends in that part of the land.
"Wurrkeng" and "Kurnumeleng" were examples of such spiritual and
religious representations. "Emus" (where a man hunting an ostrich is shown)
showed the living styles of Aboriginal people of the far past. |
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