PAINTING WORDS

Hindsight is 2022 (2020 too)

2022 was a year of learning to exist in the new world, re-dipping our toes into the world’s ocean. In 2020, we described an exhibition as featuring 20 artists from ‘around the country’. But Australia is really only a country by European definition. If anything, 

‘Australia’ is a continent, comprising of many countries and peoples, blurred borders shifting and changing for millennia.

Buried under the word ‘Australia’ is a continent, comprising of many countries and peoples, their blurred borders shifting for millennia. Here, a visual language continues forming within a foreign framework.

Western history is one of firm borders drawn by war and conquer. Only a few generations after splitting the landmass into states and territories, we are taught to erroneously view contemporary Aboriginal Australia within those same European paradigms.

To much of the art world, Aboriginal Australia is viewed as a network of art centres, each with a short history of recognisable styles. In many cases, these began with a handful of iconic artists whose painting styles soon developed into something of an early blueprint for those to come. Where the error often lies, is when we ascribe these ‘regional styes’ to one specific people or country.

Most of these communities are the result of decades of resettlement, often comprising of many different language groups, developing an art form around newly shared country, of mapping and memory, exchange and artistic conversation. 

What we unconsciously label as fixed regions, are not concrete at all; they have been condensed, yet still flow into one another. What has developed is a way of recording Australia, as it is and as it was, paintbrushes drawing from a shared palette. 

To much of the art world, Aboriginal Australia is viewed as a network of art centres, each with a short history of recognisable styles. In many cases, these began with a handful of iconic artists whose painting styles soon developed into something of an early blueprint for those to come. Where the error often lies, is when we ascribe these ‘regional styes’ to one specific people or country.

Most of these communities are the result of decades of resettlement, often comprising of many different language groups, developing an art form around newly shared country, of mapping and memory, exchange and artistic conversation.

What we unconsciously describe as fixed borders, are not concrete at all; the countries have been condensed, yet still flow into one another. What has developed is a way of recording, describing what is and what was, paintbrushes drawing from a shared palette. 

‘Australia’ is a continent, comprising of many countries and peoples shifting and blurring for millennia before being concentrated and shaped by colonialism.

For this end of year exhibition, we want to broaden our view and move beyond the constraints of the last few years. With this show, we want to illuminate the soil beneath us, the sky above us, and the water around us. The exhibition aims to show much of what we call this ‘country’ is buried under the word Australia.