CROSS CURRENTS

1
CROSS CURRENTS

• Western based art education is at a
• crossroads with Indigenous cultures.
• This presentation will explore approaches to
  art education through Indigenous perspectives and
  a cultural framework for the interpretation and
  practice of making art.

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CROSS - CURRENTS

• Purely Western analysis should not apply to
  Indigenous Art.
• Inappropriate model for Indigenous Art and other
  cultures and cultural contexts.
• Emphasis is on analysing and writing about art
  emphasis must shift from this to a more cultural
  framework.
• This is a benefit of Post Modernism which
  encourages us to unpack the cultural elements of
  Aboriginal Art works.

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Culturally Competent Art Education

• Recognise our personal bias and try to eliminate
  negative effects from it.
• Need to acquire a more complete understanding of
  culture to underpin a sound pedagogical practice.
• Inclusion of cultural content in art curricula
  beyond holidays and events.
• Avoid art activities and materials that
  inadvertently perpetuate rather than eliminate
  stereotyping.
• Mimicry of cultural objects that have highly
  religious and sacred cultural connotations is
  unacceptable.

4
LIN ONUS URBAN DINGO

• An artist who links Western and indigenous
  culture to create his own statement.
• This exhibition is the journey of his life.
• Humour was very important to his work, X and
  Ray, Totem Poles.
• Stories of him and his people recognition of
  culture in his work.
• What is Culture?
• Meaning of Culture

5
Dawn Casey The National Museum Canberra

• Indigenous exhibitions are now being put together
  by indigenous people.
• Objects in the exhibitions are no longer
  inanimate but are presented in proper cultural
  contexts.
• National Museum has addressed this issue with
  everyday objects such as The Hills Hoist
  clothes line.
• Common objects are part of culture.
• Baskets what they mean, their purpose, their
  aesthetic qualities.

6
Christine Sage-Marsh

• Aboriginal art is primarily an art of
  spirituality.
• Their works express their sacred laws and rituals
  and are presented to us in a variety of ways
  depending on the culture of a particular group of
  Aboriginal people and where they come from.
• Their tribal area is one of the most relevant
  aspects relating to Aboriginal Art, life and
  survival.
• It was a firm belief that a person could not,
  would not survive outside their own sacred
  boundaries.
• Around Australia we see many different styles of
  Aboriginal art.

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A different approach ?

• Collaboration
• The importance of family (Aunty/Uncle,
  Brother/Sister, Cousins)
• Stories and knowledge and the sharing and
  ownership of them.
• (Tiriki taking over from his Father and
  Judy Greeny Kngwarreye inheriting the stories of
  her Great Aunty, Emily Kane Kngwarreye)
• Who owns the stories?
• Connectedness to the land and all it holds.
  (Robyn Heckenberg Talkn country, AEV ARTicle)

8
Kelly Koumalatsos

• Possum skins and their importance to the
  indigenous art of South East Australia.
• Possum skins as printing plates.
• The importance of Possum skin cloaks in
  political, cultural and health contexts.
• Responding to indigenous art.
• Art inspired by...

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Treahna Hamm

• Taken from mother at birth
• Religious education took the place of cultural
  teaching
• Western art education, influenced by the works of
  Paul Klee.
• Taking a line for a walk
• 60s images of Aborigines as desert dwelling
  people (anthropologists)
• Artefacts showing Aboriginal Art purely as a
  selling device.

10
Jill Hudson The
Reconciliation Wall

• Ceramic tile mural as school contribution to
  reconciliation
• Designed by local Aboriginal artist, Mandy
  Nicholls on the recommendation of local
  indigenous Elder.
• Students working collaboratively on the project.
• Mural is an indigenous representation of Sky,
  Earth, Water and other icons.

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In conclusion

• Inclusion of superficial cultural activities
  continues the usual western ethnocentric manner,
  perhaps reinforcing stereotypical or even racist
  representation. (Wilks 2001)
• Arts education should provide opportunities to
  develop an awareness of the complexity of the
  term culture. ( Eisner 1988)
• Critical dialogue (discussion and critical
  questioning) is central to the process of
  deconstructing the meanings both implicit and
  explicit in art images. (Reid 1995)
• Creating art works inspired by the technologies
  used, may have value if accompanied by in-depth
  consideration of how this cultural art form has
  been and continues to be shaped. (Davenport 2000)
• The danger lies in taking examples out of context
  particularly in a spiritually invested art work.
  (Taylor 2001)