Helen Read is in town with her end-of-year showing of Aboriginal art at the Barn in Kew. Helping out with setup last week evoked memories of making displays in my own shop years ago “ there was the similar challenge of rationalising a diverse collection. Helen’s glorious melange of treasures is collected over decades flying small aircraft into settlements “ either nursing or, later, bringing visitors to tap into the reality of making art in remote Australia. Helen cares about the basic lack of housing and health care, and Aboriginal people can see this “ she is welcome in parts not always accessible to visitors.
Spilling out of the Barn are paintings made with ochres and acrylics on canvas, paper, board and bark, Mimi figures, baskets, totems, ceremonial artefacts, little painted creatures carved from bush woods, books, etchings and screenprints drawn from 14 community art centres across northern and central Australia. It’s worth a wander “ phone 0418 137 719 before 23 December.
Text from Wordy Gurdy blog.
