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Aboriginal man, writer and curator Djon Mundine talks about his exhibition The Dingo Project. Video: Briannah Devlin
Ngununggula's upcoming exhibition The Dingo Project explores the legacy and the connections dingoes have to Aboriginal Australians, and how they have been perceived by others.
The collection of sculptures, paintings, drawings, photographs and videos is going to be unveiled at the gallery in Bowral on January 8, at 12pm.
Mittagong local, curator, writer and Webhal man Djon Mundine OAM FAHA has brought together works from about 30 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal artists.
He said the exhibition was an "embodiment" of the wild animal.
"What I tried to do is draw a group of artists together across ages and genders... [and] asked them what they thought about dingoes and what they represent," he said.
"Each room has a theme, you've got to work out what it is, it's a view or an idea."
The curator discovered that Mittagong was home to many dingoes.
The name Mittagong is said to have come from an Aboriginal word that meant 'little mountain', but other meanings suggested have bee interpreted as 'companion' and 'plenty of dogs'.
Attendees will have the opportunity to walk through four rooms, which all explore different representations of the wild animal.
"As a curator, I try to make each room different," he said.
"This is obviously a story of the parallels with dingoes and Aboriginal people."
Mr Mundine was said it was important to highlight the dingo's spiritual and ancestral history in Australia but also the contrasting views of them over the years by non-Aboriginal Australians.
"[They are] native animals from this country, [that] survived thousands of years seen as uncivilised, and can't be domesticated," he said.
The curator said each artist brought their own interpretation of dingoes to their work.
Artists involved include Garth Lena, Fiona Foley, Lin Onus, George Pascoe Jnr, Johnny Malibirr, Blak Douglas, Danie Mellor.
Some creators brought a personal connection to the work, such as Gundungurra woman Aunty Trish Levett, who used clay in Carrington Falls.
Digital artist and Fundamental Bowral exhibitor Tallulah McCord has also featured in the exhibition.
The Dingo Project will be showcased at the gallery until March 6.
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Briannah Devlin
I like to write about arts, entertainment, any local reality tv leads, and property for the Southern Highland News and Goulburn Post, but also report on everything in between. If you have any tips, please send them to Briannah.Devlin@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0439142204.
I like to write about arts, entertainment, any local reality tv leads, and property for the Southern Highland News and Goulburn Post, but also report on everything in between. If you have any tips, please send them to Briannah.Devlin@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0439142204.
