While New York has just thrown up the melancholy picture of great First Nations art being sidelined at this year’s Sotheby’s Aboriginal Art auction, the fine city of Indianapolis can’t get enough of the stuff. Admittedly it’s in the highly digestible form of outsize, moving digital images on screens all around you. But it’s certainly caught the attention of local media where I’ve read 5 or 6 excited newspaper stories.
For this is the US premiere of ‘Connection: Land, Water, Sky – Art & Music from Indigenous Australians’ which originated three years ago at the National Museum in Canberra – and still tours under its aegis. It then went to THE LUME in Melbourne, home of the gloriously named Grande Experiences, the international organisation that motivates van Gogh, da Vinci and Monet for the world. And now Indianapolis, just opened at Newfields – ‘A Place for Nature and Art’, which includes the Indianapolis Art Museum.
Here’s how they’re selling Connection: “Imagine stepping into a vast, 30,000-square-foot space filled with over 500 pieces of artwork projected on to every surface. Surrounded by paintings, photographs and contemporary art, you’ll find yourself immersed in intricate details, vibrant colours, and profound messages of Australian First Nations creators, all set to a soundtrack composed of both traditional and modern Australian First Nations music.
“Connection isn’t just an exhibit; it’s an experience that takes you on a journey across the vast and diverse landscapes of Australia, from the arid deserts to the lush rainforests, connecting you to the powerful stories that have shaped the lives of First Nations communities for tens of thousands of years. With music guiding the way, each theme – Land, Water, and Sky – invites you to explore the deep-rooted relationships between Australian First Nations people and their environment”.
Here’s what I thought of it in Canberra.
But it seems the Americans are getting even more: “Starting in June, new featurettes will debut at THE LUME Indianapolis—three-minute digital looping films created by students from The Herron School of Art + Design. These short films will add a fresh layer to the exhibition, showcasing the next generation of creative talent and their take on Connection’s themes”. Then in the middle of the experience, “Café Ngura draws inspiration from the concept of Country. The word ngura, used in many Indigenous Australian languages, translates to “Country” or “home.” Executive Chef Patrick Russ and Certified Cicerone (that’s a beer taster!) Lindsay Jo Whirley of Newfields have curated a creative menu that celebrates Indigenous Australian ingredients. Guests can enjoy a selection of bush spice-infused teas and coffee, freshly baked pastries, light meals and specialty drinks”.
There’s even some real art! In the final gallery, visitors will find Indigenous Australian bark paintings from the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s permanent collection. And amongst canvases more like the works in Connection, there’s the minutely detailed op-art painting Maruwa by Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri, borrowed from the private collection of David Smith, of the US/Dutch SmithDavidson Gallery.
If only those Sotheby’s non-buyers had been revved up in Indianapolis.
