Exhibition Insight... Continuum
Uncle Sooty Welsh, Vase 4 – Scarred, Gulaman, Walking on Country, 2022. Image courtesy of JamFactory.
Continuum
Continuum brings together different generations of Indigenous artists to share their stories and journeys though ceramic sculptural objects and vessels. The connection and practice of traditional culture has been challenging for many Indigenous people since colonisation. The harsh and rigid life on Missions and efforts to eradicate culture and language have left cultural groups at a loss. Indigenous peoples across Australia have worked hard to promote the revival of traditional language, knowledge and practices to ensure that generations to come have a proud and strong connection to culture.
This exhibition highlights the continuing practice and preservation of Indigenous art and culture for over 60,000 years and features the work of Uncle Kevin ‘Sooty’ Welsh, Alfred Lowe, Carlene Thompson and Anne Thompson. Through their ceramics practices, the exhibiting artists connect with their diverse cultural backgrounds, spanning from Arrernte Country in the Northern Territory, the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in north-west South Australia and Wailwan Country in north-east New South Wales.
Continuum features both hand built and wheel thrown artworks decorated using the sgraffito technique, which involves scratching the slip-coated clay surface of a ceramic object to reveal a lower layer of contrasting colour. The sgraffito technique provides a strong contrast for the neutral coloured glazes being used in these artworks. The organic forms of these sculptures and vessels have been inspired by the form on country scar trees from Wailwan Country, shifting landscapes on Arrente Country and landscapes from the APY Lands.
By presenting the artworks of Indigenous artists from diverse cultural backgrounds and at different stages of their careers, Continuum gives an insight into personal stories and journeys across several different generations. The exhibition gathers together stories of the kalaya (emu) dreaming, themes of Country and reconnection to culture though ceramics, while also highlighting and acknowledging the hardship Indigenous peoples have endured and the strength and resilience they have sustained since colonisation.
EXHIBITORS
Wailwan Elder Uncle Kevin ‘Sooty’ Welsh
Wailwan Elder Uncle Kevin ‘Sooty’ Welsh is a ceramic artist from NSW. He settled in the small town of Coonamble after being removed from his family when he was young. As part of the Stolen Generation, Welsh experienced a disconnection from family and culture. Later in life, Welsh moved back to his Country and reconnected to Wailwan culture, taking an interest in the tree carvings that heavily inspires his works today. In his practice, Welsh puts a contemporary twist on the traditional carving techniques that his ancestors once used. The scarred trees are the reminiscence of some Aboriginal practices of carving wood from trees to make objects such as Coolamon vessels. His unique mark-making represents the scars and trauma left upon himself and others that have been affected by being stolen from their families.
Uncle Sooty Welsh, Vase 1 - Scarred, Vase 2 - Scarred, Vase 3 - Scarred, 2022. Image courtesy of JamFactory.
Alfred Lowe
Alfred Lowe is an emerging Arrernte artist who uses ceramics to explore culture, his identity and the modern world. Although Lowe started making ceramics late 2021, he has long been exposed to a strong artistic influence. Growing up in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), Lowe was a neighbour of respected Anmatyerr painter Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri AO. He recalls Lowe recalls standing on truck tyres to peer over the fence and watch Tjapaltjarri paint for hours at a time. In his ceramic artworks, Lowe uses form and textures that informed by his intimate knowledge of the central desert landscape to examine themes of Country. Lowe hand-builds the sculptural forms and organic vessels, applying underglazes and a range of mark-making to the surfaces. The artist’s lived experiences in a racially politically charged region has fuelled his keen interest in politics and racial justice.
Alfred Lowe, 2022. Image courtesy of JamFactory.
Carlene Thompson
Carlene Thompson is a senior artist at Ernabella Arts in the Pukatja community of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in north-west South Australia. She started painting in 2007 and several years later discovered ceramics though the art centre, which has a strong background in engaging with the medium. Thompson’s unique style quickly gained attraction both nationally and internationally, with the artist twice being a finalist in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. The kalaya (emu) dreaming coming from her father’s country and is often represents in her works along with Kipara munu Kalaya Tjukurpa (the story of emu and bush turkey) and Tjulpu (birds). Thompson has always been strongly connected to culture along with her late husband, Kunmanara (Kawaki) Thompson OAM, who was highly regarded senior Pitjantjatjara man and played a major role in the Land Rights Movement. Participating in cultural ceremonies is extremely important to Thompson and she makes a strong effort to pass down traditional knowledge to her daughters.
Carlene Thompson, Kalaya Ngura – Emu Country, 2022. Image courtesy of the artist.
Anne Thompson
Anne Thompson is an emerging artist at Ernabella Arts and is the daughter of Carlene Thompson. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Thompson has been making ceramics since high school, and has continued working in the Ernabella Arts ceramic studio between media projects. In 2014, Thompson received the Indigenous Ceramic Art Award from the Shepparton Art Museum and her work was acquired for their collection. Thompson is also passionate about jewellery and in 2014 completed a two-week intensive workshop at Ernabella Arts with Melbourne-based resin artist Kate Rohde, with outcomes were presented at JamFactory as a part of Tarnanthi Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art in 2015.
Anne Thompson, Strong Family Connection, 2022. Image courtesy of the artist.