Page 71 - Tropic Magazine Issue 13

LIFESTYLE • ARTS

Art and about

MARA
Tropic takes a look at the A second exhibition, MARA:
exciting new exhibitions at the Indigenous Design, Politics and
Cairns Art Gallery. Culture, celebrates the cultural
heritage and living culture
Continental Drift of Aboriginal people in north
The Cairns Art Gallery’s exhibition Queensland. The word mara means
Continental Drift: Black/Blak Art from hand and in this context it refers to the
South Africa and North Australia is hand that makes, gathers, prepares Olaf and Kerstens
attracting national and international and hunts. In late August the Gallery is presenting
attention and drew huge audiences MARA presents almost three hundred a new exhibition by two internationally
during the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. designed objects, many of which are renowned contemporary
For the first time ever, Indigenous from the Kowanyama community photographers from the Netherlands,
artists from north Queensland are in Cape York. Comprising historical Olaf and Kerstens, whose portraits are
exhibiting alongside contemporary artefacts and newly commissioned inspired by the Dutch masters.
South African artists. Together their contemporary objects, the exhibition Erwin Olaf is an interdisciplinary
works explore issues of gender, politics, is a stunning visual display and artist who works across photography,
history, race and representation includes a large number of works that video and installation. His work has
through a range of media including have never been exhibited outside the been described as provocative and
photography, sculpture, paintings, film, Kowanyama community. unsettling. Through his portraits Olaf
video and installation. Gallery Assistant Curator Teho draws the viewer into his surreal,
Speaking about the exhibition, Gallery Ropeyarn explains that many of the filmic narrative, while maintaining the
Director Andrea May Churcher says she objects are historically important and distance of the critical observer.
is thrilled that the exhibition has turned he hopes that they will inspire the next Hendrik Kerstens took up photography
the attention of international audiences generation of Indigenous artists to at the age of forty when he stayed at
to the contemporary art, culture and create works informed by their culture home to care for his first child, Paula. His
history of Far North Queensland. and history. early portraits captured the everyday life
of the young child, but as Paula grew up,
Kerstens photographs were increasingly
inspired by great Dutch master painters
of the 17th century with Paula as his
muse. Olaf and Kerstens is presented at
the Cairns Art Gallery with the support of
the Embassy of the Netherlands.

MORE: cairnsartgallery.com.au

LEFT
Continental Drift. Michael COOK
Invasion (Laser girls) 2017 from the Invasion series
inkjet print (T/P 1). 135 x 200 cm
Collection of Tony Denholder and Scott Gibson,
Brisbane, Queensland
Image: Courtesy of the artist and
Andrew Baker Art Dealer, Brisbane
ABOVE
Olaf & Kerstens. Erwin OLAF
Keyhole 6, 2012 from the Keyhole series
Chromogenic print
66 x 54 cm
Photographer: Erwin Olaf
Fire up for festival fun
Cairns Festival is on its way! And what an eclectic, vibrant celebration of life in
the tropics it is set to be. From fine food to circus acts, symphony orchestras
to light shows and lots in between, Cairns Festival returns to liven up the city
from August 24 to September 2.
Signature events include the Grand Parade and fireworks show on August 25
and Carnival on Collins on September 2.
Free music performances are another highlight of the festival, with the
Esplanade and Carnival on Collins being home to an array of local and national
music acts. Highlights include Bobby Alu, B2M (Bathurst to Melville), Greta
Stanley, Leanne Tennant, Rochelle Watson, Machine Machine, Los Caracoles MORE: cairns.qld.gov.au/festival
and Jordan De La Cruz, plus heaps more.

71 • tropicnow.com.au