Indigenous artists bring inanimate objects to life at Artitja Gallery

Artitja Gallery's latest exhibition, MADE | FOUND | REPURPOSED showcases found objects reshaped, painted and repurposed by Australian Indigenous artists hailing primarily from five remote community art centres.

The exhibition is a part of the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial currently on show around metropolitan Perth and some regional centres.

“We’ve stayed within the Indian Ocean coastal borders but moved further inland to encompass the work of artists from some of our partner art centres,” explains gallery Director Anna Kanaris. “We began planning the exhibition mid 2020 and in seeking out artisan craft…partnered with a relatively new art centre the Minyma Kutjara Arts Project at Wingellina.”

The artists at the centre work with a range of discarded materials, turning old car sumps into miniature cars, rusted metal into shoulder bags, and making piti (carrying bowls) from discarded wire. What makes the art so special is that the artists bring colour and life to each object by painting their stories onto them.

Further exhibition items have been sourced from Mangkaja Arts in Fitzroy Crossing including bush dyed silk textiles and an intricately painted bullock skull. Small weaves and paintings from the Spinifex Hill Art Studio in South Hedland are also on display. Maningrida Arts in Arnhemland have contributed small bark paintings, woven pandanus mats, fishtraps, dilly bags and there will be a display of imaginative ceramic sculptures from Ernabella Arts in the APY Lands.

Award-winning Noongar Bush Sculptor, Janine McAullay Bott, who is known for her range of multifaceted and whimsical creations, will be showcasing a special selection of woven objects. Janine will be in the gallery on Saturday, November 20 with a live weaving demonstration and discussion of her craft. This will be a ticketed event, details of which can be found on the gallery’s website.

The exhibition, which will be opened by Carol Innes, Co-Chair of Reconciliation WA and Board Member of the Art Gallery of WA, will welcome artists from Irrunytju (Wingellina) a small, remote Aboriginal community located 10km from the tri-state border of WA, NT and SA.

MADE | FOUND | REPURPOSED is on show at Earlywork Gallery in South Fremantle from October 30 – November 21 with an opening event at 6pm on October 29. The exhibition can be viewed from 10am – 4pm Wednesday to Sunday and is free to the public.

Explore more Aboriginal artwork in Perth

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