Diploma Lecture Series 2011

Art and Australia ll: European Preludes and Parallels

A parallel universe: Aboriginal art in the 20th century

Hetti Perkins

30 / 31 March 2011

Lecture summary:

This lecture will offer an overview of the flourishing of Aboriginal art in the 20th century, with an emphasis on the Art

Gallery of New South Wales’ permanent collection. Charting the development of the collection, this talk will look at

some of the key movements during the latter half of the century and discuss the reasons for the absence of Indigenous

art from the public eye in early decades. Some of the subjects to be considered are the emergence of regional

movements, cultural dialogue in the arts and the rise to prominence of women artists.

Slide list:

1. Gordon Bennett, Myth of the Western man (White man's burden,) 1992, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Purchased 1993

2. Rover Thomas, Ngarin Janu Country, c1988, earth pigments in synthetic polymer resin on canvas. Purchased 1988

3. Rover Thomas, Untitled, 1984, natural pigments, bush gum on plywood. Purchased under the terms of the Florence Turner Blake Bequest 1995

4. Queenie McKenzie, Ridge Country on the way to Banana Springs, 1998, natural pigments and binder on canvas. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 2003

5. Queenie McKenzie, Balinji, (1997), natural pigments and binder on canvas. Gift of Dr Colin and Mrs Elizabeth Laverty 2005

6. Timmy Timms, Bedford Downs Massacre, 2000, natural pigments on linen canvas. D G Wilson Bequest Fund 2000

7. Timmy Timms, Mistake Creek Massacre, 2000, natural pigments on linen canvas. Purchased 2003

8. Rusty Peters, Chinaman's Garden Massacre, 2000, natural pigments on linen canvas. Purchased with funds provided by J.S. Watkins Memorial Fund 2001

9. Rusty Peters, Waterbrain, 2002, natural pigments on linen canvas. Purchased 2002

10. Billy Stockman Tjapaltajrri, Two quiet snakes dreaming, 1972, carved and painted wood. Purchased 1996

11. Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri, Kooralia, 1980, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Gift of the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales 1995

12. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri & Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri, Warlugulong, 1976, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Purchased 1981

13. Makinti Napanangka, Seed Gathering Napangati women, 1996, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 1997

14. Tatali Nangala, Two Men and sleeping Youth at Kirritji, 1996, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 1997

15. Makinti Napanangka, Untitled, 2000, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 2000

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16. Makinti Napanangka, Untitled, 2007, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Purchased with funds donated in memory of James Agapitos OAM 2007

17. Ningura Napurrula, Untitled (Wirrulnga), 2000, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Patricia Lucille Bernard Bequest Fund 2001

18. Naata Nungurrayi, Untitled, 2004, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Purchased with funds provided by the Aboriginal Collection Benefactors' Group 2006

19. Yukultji Napangati, Untitled, 2005, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Don Mitchell Bequest Fund 2006

20. Doreen Reid Nakamarra, Untitled, 2007, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Purchased with funds donated in memory of James Agapitos OAM 2007

21. Emily Kam Ngwarray (Kngwarreye), Untitled (Alhalkere), 1992, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 1992

22. Emily Kam Ngwarray (Kngwarreye), Untitled (Awelye), 1994, triptych: synthetic polymer paint on paper laminated to canvas. Purchased 1994

23. Gloria Tamerre Petyarre, Awelye (For the mountain devil lizard), 1994, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 1994

24. Eubena Nampitjin, Pinyu, 1991, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Purchased 2003

25. Eubena Nampitjin, Kinyu, 2007, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Purchased with funds provided by the Patricia Bernard Bequest Fund and the Don Mitchell Bequest Fund 2007

26. Lucy Yukenbarri Napanangka, Marpa, 2001, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 2003

27. Helicopter Tjungurrayi, Wangkardu, 2001, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 2003

28. Elaine Russell, Inspection day, 1994, synthetic polymer paint on cardboard. Purchased with funds provided by the Australian Collection Benefactors' Program 1995

29. Elaine Russell, Lachlan River, our childhood dreams, 1994, synthetic polymer paint on cardboard. Purchased with funds provided by the Australian Collection Benefactors' Program 1995

30. Marg Adams, Reflection, 1996, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Purchased 1996

31. Roy Kennedy, Mission boy dreams, (2006), etching. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 2006

32. Roy Kennedy, Days of harmony on my Mission in days gone by, (1998), etching. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 2001

33. Robert Campbell Jnr, Sunset over the Macleay overlooking Euroka, 1990, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 1997

34. Robert Campbell Jnr, Woman Business, c1990, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Purchased 1994

35. Robert Campbell Jnr, Map of the massacres of blacks on the Macleay Valley, 1991, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Purchased 1994

36. Artist Unknown, Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1939, cardboard, blue velvet, assorted shells. Gift of Alan Lloyd 1994

37. Esme Timbery, Sydney Harbour Bridge, 2002, cardboard, assorted shells, fabric. Gift of Genevieve O'Callaghan 2010

38. Lola Ryan Sydney, Harbour Bridge, 2000, cardboard, assorted shells, fabric. Gift of Peter Fay 2010

39. Linda Craigie, Two ladies waiting, c1940s, sandstone carving. Gift of Margaret Preston 1948

40. Nora Nathan, Young girl waiting for her lover, c1940s, sandstone carving, coloured with natural pigments. Gift of Margaret Preston 1948

41. Nora Nathan, Emu egg hunt, c1940s, sandstone carving coloured with natural pigments. Gift of Margaret Preston 1948

42. Margaret Preston, The brown pot, (1940), oil on canvas. Purchased 1942

43. Trevor Nickolls, Homage to Margaret Preston, 1988, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Purchased 1993

44. Otto Pareroultja, (Untitled landscape), c1950s, watercolour on paper. Purchased 2001

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45. Edwin Pareroultja, Amulda Gorge, c1947, watercolour on paper. Purchased 1947

46. Otto Pareroultja, The hills behind Hermannsburg, c1954, watercolour on paper. Purchased 1996

47. Ivy Pareroultja, Mt Sonder Lookout, 2009, watercolour on paper on board. Purchased with funds provided by Niall and Freya Edwards FitzSimons 2009

48. Laurie Nelson Mungatopi, Bob One Apuatimi, Jack Yarunga, Don Burakmadjua, Charlie Quiet Kwangdini, Artist Unknown Tutini (Pukumani grave posts) natural pigments on iron wood. Gift of Dr Stuart Scougall 1959

49. Pedro Wonaeamirri, Tutini, 1999, ironwood, natural pigments. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 1999

50. Pedro Wonaeamirri, Pwoja - Pukumani body paint design, 2004, natural pigments on paper. Purchased with funds provided by the Aboriginal Collection Benefactors' Group 2004

51. Pedro Wonaeamirri, Pwoja - Pukumani body paint design, 2004, natural pigments on paper. Purchased with funds provided by the Aboriginal Collection Benefactors' Group 2004

52. Kutuwulumi Purawarrumpatu (Kitty Kantilla), Untitled, 1997, natural pigments on paper. Purchased with funds provided by the Friends of Yiribana 1998

53. Jeffrey Samuels, A changing continent, (1986), oil on hardboard. Purchased 1986

54. Daniel Boyd, Sir No Beard, 2007, oil on canvas. Private collection loan

55. Destiny Deacon, Dreaming in urban areas, 1993, four colour Polaroid laser copies. Purchased 1993

56. Brenda L Croft, Mary Mumbulla and Murri Craigie, 1993, R3 colour photograph. Purchased 1993

57. Mervyn Bishop, Lionel Rose at his press conference, 1968, printed 1991, gelatin silver photograph. Hallmark Cards Australian Photography Collection Fund 1991

58. Mervyn Bishop, Woman standing near electric power cord in water, Burnt Bridge, 1988, printed 2008 gelatin silver photograph. Purchased under the terms of the Florence Turner Blake Bequest 2008

59. Ricky Maynard, Broken heart from the series Portrait of a distant land, 2005, printed 2009 gelatin silver photograph, selenium toned. Purchased with funds provided by the Aboriginal Collection Benefactors' Group and the Photography Collection

60. Ricky Maynard, Wik Elder, Arthur from the series Returning to Places that Name Us, 2000, gelatin silver photograph. Annette Margaret Dupree Bequest Fund 2002

61. Ricky Maynard, Wik Elder, Gladys from the series Returning to Places that Name Us, 2000, gelatin silver photograph. Purchased with funds provided by Stephen Grant and Bridget Pirrie 2002

62. Michael Riley, Maria, 1985, gelatin silver photograph. Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 1999

63. Michael Riley, Tracey, 1985, hand-coloured gelatin silver photograph. Purchased with funds provided by the Aboriginal Collection Benefactors' Group 2005

64. Michael Riley, Untitled from the series cloud, 2000, chromogenic pigment print. On loan from the Michael Riley Foundation

Selected Bibliography:

Tradition Today: Indigenous Art in Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2004

Margaret Preston, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2005

One Sun One Moon: Aboriginal Art in Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2007

Half Light: Portraits from Black Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2008

Rachel Perkins & Marcia Langton (eds) First Australians: An illustrated history, The Miegunyah Press, Melbourne,

Victoria, 2008

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Timmy Timms, Mistake Creek Massacre, 2000, natural pigments on linen canvas, AGNSW, purchased 2003

Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri & Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri, Warlugulong, 1976, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, AGNSW,

purchased 1981

Eubena Nampitjin, Pinyu, 1991, synthetic polymer paint on linen canvas, AGNSW, purchased 2003

Artist Unknown, Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1939, cardboard, blue velvet, assorted shells, AGNSW, Gift of Alan Lloyd

1994

Otto Pareroultja, The hills behind Hermannsburg, c1954, watercolour on paper, AGNSW, purchased 1996

Pedro Wonaeamirri, Tutini (Pukumani grave post), ironwood, natural pigments, AGNSW, Mollie Gowing Acquisition

Fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 1999