Courier Mail article about the Federal’s Governments changes to Indigenous communities in Australia and the Bendi Lango exhibition.
Quoted from article:
Sydney-based indigenous art curator Jenny Hillman has travelled to eight Aboriginal communities around Australia to collect 140 paintings for Bendi Lango which means “cutting edge” in traditional Woiwurrung language.
Combined, the art is worth $1.4 million and is all investment quality but Hillman says prices of the pieces will range from a couple of hundred dollars to $50,000.
The article continues:
While Aboriginal painters have used acrylic paints for some time, Hillman says today’s indigenous artists are using a more vibrant palette.
“There’s traditionally been a lot of browns and ochres but these paintings are more vivid and the artists are experimenting with oranges, yellows and reds,” she says.
Many of the paintings are topographical, depicting the waterholes and hills of their respective countries.
“The public will see a diversity of styles from some of the leading indigenous artists of the day, such as Shorty Robertson and Judy Watson,” Hillman says.
Other artists exhibiting their works include Shane Pickett, whose work is held in major private and public collections across Australia, Dennis Nona, whose art is in the National Gallery, and Ngoia Pollard, who won last year’s Telstar Award.
The first Bendi Lango exhibition was held in Melbourne last year but Hillman hopes the concept will eventually roll out across Australia.
Bendi Lango runs until Sunday at the Fire-Works Gallery, Newstead
