Indigenous Art, Culture & Desogn Week 2



Hetti Perkins, Art+Soul



Art+Soul

Hetti Perkins

Throughout this course we will be viewing episodes of the ABC series Art+Soul, presented by senior curator of Aboriginal and Torrss Strait Islander art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Hetti perkins. Throughout the series, Hetti takes us on a journey across the land meeting artists in remote, rural and urban areas, encouraging them to share the stories behind their artworks. Hetti's journey enhances our understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal art, and encourages us to view the wold from an Aboriginal perspective.

In today's lecture we began viewing the first installment of Art+Soul. In episode 1 entitled 'Home and Away', Hetti drove from Alice Springs to Walungurru in the Kintore region, which is home to the the headquarters of the Papanya Tula Artists Co-operative. It is here that we learn about the Western Desert painting movement in the 1070's which was borne from a longing for a 'country' by a community force to resettle away from their homelands. A particular moment that I found to be very moving was when artists Naata Nungurrayi was shown singing her 'country' song whilst painting.

In this episode we also met artist Judy Watson who incorporates drawings of objects that were once apart of the lives of her ancestors in to her paintings. I find Judy's paintings to have a real simplicity and elegance to them, which I admire very much.

I f you havent's seen Art+Soul before, I highly recommend that you do. The Art+Soul website contains clips  from all episodes as well as other valuable information.

Episode 1 of Art+Soul: http://www.abc.net.au/arts/artandsoul/video/extra1.htm?type=extra

SOURCES:

Art+Soul Image: http://www.abc.net.au/arts/artandsoul/about/s2990660.htm