5 March - 15 April 2010
See how Aboriginal art evolved from Albert Namatjira watercolours to the stunning modern works that are fetching record auction-house prices at the opening of a new exhibition in the John Mullins Memorial Art Gallery, Dogwood Crossing @ Miles.
Across Country is a selection of Aboriginal art spanning watercolours from the 1940s Namatjira watercolour school, significant artists of the Papunya and Kintore schools of painting, Arnhem Land barks, works from the Kimberley and Torres Strait Islands and the more colourful contemporary works.
Dogwood Crossing@ Miles is proud to present this fascinating travelling exhibition from the Caloundra Regional Gallery, curated by Susan McCulloch, from the Ken Hinds Cultural Collection .
Caloundra Regional Gallery Director John Waldron said the works were taken from the Ken Hinds Cultural Collection, which includes a treasure trove of significant Aboriginal art works held by the local collector who has travelled deep into the western desert of central Australia and elsewhere.
“The hidden story is that of the collector and his passion to form a close connection with the artists,” Mr Waldron said.
“Ken travelled many miles and at times spent many days with the artists and their community to understand their country and stories.
“These meetings and friendships were documented photographically however it is through his recollections that you begin to understand their impact on Ken.”
The exhibition’s lead curator Susan McCulloch said that Ken Hinds’ indigenous collection had grown to around 800 to 1000 works.
“The strength of Hinds’ indigenous collection lies in its range and what this reveals of the depth of Aboriginal art as it has grown over the years,” she said.
Dogwood Crossing @ Miles Centre Manager Sally Hinz is excited to be able to present Across County to a new regional audience.
“This exhibition presents a unique opportunity for visitors to gain insight into the unfolding of the Australian Aboriginal Art movement and provides visitors with a solid background from which to view the cutting edge new media moving image exhibition Big Eye a collection of Aboriginal Australian and Canadian animations being displayed at Dogwood Crossing @ Miles in conjunction with Across Country.” she said.
Across Country is a Caloundra Regional Art Gallery and Arts Park travelling exhibition, supported by Visions of Australia, an Australian Government program, and the Sunshine Coast Council. The exhibition will continue until 13 April.
This exhibition is supported by Visions of Australian, an Australian Government program supporting touring exhibitions by providing funding assistance for the development and touring of Australian cultural material across Australia.
The Ken Hinds Cultural Heritage Collection is operated by The Arts Park Australia Pty Ltd. Caloundra Regional Art Gallery is a Sunshine Coast Regional Council arts initiative.
