AUSTRALIA - MAKING ME NOSTALGIC

I wonder what images you conjure up when the word Australia is mentioned? Mine are space, colour and star lit skies. The country originally belonged to the Aborigines and it wasn’t until the 1600s that explorers came in touch with the continent. There were other explorers before James Cook arrived and even noted that the «aboriginals were far happier than we the Europeans...» They had a close contact with their country. In fact when Cook dropped anchor in Botany Bay in 1770 and claimed Australia to be British he confronted mankind’s oldest continuous culture and disembarked on the most ancient land on earth. It’s not surprising that the indigenous art is so captivating and tells us all the stories of the dreamtime. We were cruel and destructive toward the aborigines. It’s not so long ago since the Australian Government asked to be pardoned. Today, I often ask myself if the Aboriginal tribes are happy - how much have they lost of their traditions? - are the artists painting for themselves or for money? Past, present and future are intertwined for the Aboriginal people. There is no word for time in any of their languages. The concepts of land and home are one and the same. 



The story of Australia is inextricably linked to its landscape and for Australian artists, this deep connection has provided inspiration for centuries.

This exhibition was a first in 50 years and would span more than 200 years from 1800 to the present day.

«Two hundred works including painting, drawing, photography, watercolours and multimedia will shed light on a period of rapid and intense change; from the impact of colonisation on an indigenous people, to the pioneering nation building of the 19th century through to the enterprising urbanisation of the last 100 years»

How much would I know about our history? The opening gallery was in itself a shock to my system. If that security attendant had not gone through the gallery, I would have been quite alone for the first ten minutes.

The first gallery

The second

Looking straight ahead in the first gallery

These huge indigenous paintings bowled me over. I gasped at size, colour and originality. The explorers discovered rock painting    and engravings. It wasn’t until the 20th century that their work was considered to be «art». It varies from region to region and symbols can distinguish there different clans. Four colours prevail: red, yellow, white, black. My Mother bought back some of the eucalyptus bark drawings and instruments when she visited the centre with her Father as a young woman. My flat in Paris has «very Australian walls»!

Cyclone Tracey 1991

 This one painting which I took from the booklet is called Cyclone Tracey - 1991 by Rover Thomas. I am sure that this is not his aboriginal name. It’s a rainbow serpent in the guise of Cyclone Tracey. Such serpents are responsable for creating thunderstorms, rain, monsoons and cyclones. It’s a warning to the Aboriginals to reinvigorate their culture, which at the time was under threat by the Europeans. You can undersand why I chose it.




How many artists did I know? 5 I would think so that wouldn’t even make 1%.
The exhibition was divided into different categories.



Early Colonial 1800-80 -(remember Australia Day is 26 January 1788)
When new settlers arrived who were not convicts (for 30 years from  the first settlement, 90% of the Europeans living in Australia, were convicts. I once thought that I was a descendant from a bandit who was deported to Tasmania! Apparently not). The first artists were intimidated by the countrie’s wilderness and space and turned their attention to more reassuring scenes such as the growing town of Sydney. These paintings were sent back to Britain to attract European settlers. John Glover (1767-1849) was one of the most notable artists of that period.

John Glover "carwood"  the Ouse river 1838

John Lewin Fish Catch at Dawes Point 1813 - the first still live

Frederick McCubbin - Lost 1886

This little girl was lost in the Bush for three weeks and even today we do not know the truth about how she survived. The new settlers did not understand at first how tough the Australian Bush could be. 

Tom Robert's Bourke Street 1885

Australian Impressionists 1890-1900
When gold was discovered in Victoria, Australia became a prosperous colony after 1851. There was a group of artists who were very influenced by the French open air masters. Some went back to Europe and to well known schools then returned to Australia. Many belonged to the Heidelberg school (a town outside of Melbourne in Victoria) and could be called the Australian Impressionists. There were many artists and I knew none of them, but their names can be discovered on the Royal Academy home page http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/

 

Federation 1900-20 (the Depression in Australia came in the 1890’s)
 A combination of drought and financial hardship bankrupted the economy and high employment affected the country overall. Australian became a Federation of states and territories on New Year’s Day of 1901 and the mood changed to hope.The economy started to recover.
New artists arrived from the U.K. and although painting was more of urban scenes, the painting of the bush continued.

Botany Bay Sydney

Tom Robert's Bourke Street 1885

Early Modernism 1918-40
Painting was pretty conservative until a new school opened in 1897. Rubbo’s Art School. It attracted artists who were more interested in the Post impressionist painting and new techniques. Rubbo told the students about artistic developments in Europe covering the studio walls with paintings by Cézanne, Sisley, Gaugin, Van Gogh and Seural which really influenced the artists in new techniques and early modern art.

Bridge nearing completition

The Bridge in building 1929 Grace C. Slith

Delaunay La Tour Eiffel 192

The Squatters daughter G.W.Lambert 1923-24

Max Dupain "Sunbaker" 1937

 Max Dupain's photo became an Icon of the Australian on the beach. Perhaps still is.

Wartime and Post War 1940-50
What is the highlight of this period? Sidney Nolan of course (1917-1992). At last a painter I knew. Ned Kelly our national gangster and hero was painted by Sidney is all possible forms telling the story about the hero and his legend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Kelly
I am sure there are other facts to tell about this period which contributed to some of the best art I know by European and American artists.... But.......

Sidney Nolan Ned Kelly 1946

Charles Meere -Beach pattern 1940

Sidney Nolan "Pretty Polly Mine" 1948

Of course, I did know Russel Drysdale's work

Russel Drysdale The Drover's Wife 1945. Of course I knew him




CONTEMPORARY 
.

Superb and Solid Howard Arkley 1998

Although there were quite a few contemporary works to be seen, the accent was made on Fiona Foley’s work or video. I discovered her when I was last in Australia five years ago. Her work, the little I have seen of it, is politically oriented with historical facts about how the Aboriginal people were treated. Fiona Foley (born 1964) is a contemporary Indigenous Australian artist from Badtjala, Fraser Island, Queensland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiona_Foley

Shaun Gladwell Approach to Mundi Mundi 200

 

Jeff Smart died in Italy this year at 91. Known for his urbans landscapes.

Indigenous Painting.
I have said a little about this further up. But it’s worthwhile discovering the concept «dreamtime» . Not a fantasty for the Aborignals - a reality. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamtime


Did I know that so many of the earlier settlers were German and Swiss (not convicts of course....). Of course I didn’t. So much I didn’t know and will never learn. But one thing is sure, after three hours in «Australia» I was feeling nostalgic and missing that space and colour which made ALL the paintings «Australian». I wonder if I will ever see that star lit sky in the Australian desert again?