Renda Croft had a clear purpose in mind when she chose Culture Warriors as the title of the first triennial of contemporary Aboriginal art presented by the National Gallery of Australia. She wanted to pay tribute to the 30 artists involved and their ancestral traditions.
Only later did the curator discover the phrase was used already to describe the combatants in a political debate raging across the US between traditionalist conservatives and left-leaning liberals.
In hindsight, Croft believes her title fitted perfectly. The exhibition she assembled celebrated the artists’ work but also their diverse voices: they ranged from spiritual to political, often laced with humour and satire.
Almost two years after this extraordinary exhibition opened in Canberra, followed by a tour of state galleries, Culture Warriors has arrived in Washington, DC, to provoke debate among its American namesakes.
As part of a program of Australian culture on tour, Culture Warriors, which opens tomorrow at the new Katzen Arts Centre, is the largest exhibition of Australian Aboriginal art that has travelled to the US.
