Page 35 - Tropic Magazine Issue 18

TROPIC • COVER STORY

WHAT’S NEW

CIAF Symposium 2019
QLD Indigenous Art
From Small Beginnings to
World Recognition
Academics, collectors, artists,
designers, curators and sector
professionals consider the
current state of Queensland
Q&A First Peoples’ art and its future,
exploring the many factors that
Simone Arnol underpin culture, capacity and
CIAF Art Market, Blueclick Photography Artist, Designer and Curator, the contemporary art market.
Buwal-barra…Messenger.
Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow
Blak Comedy Up Late
Tell us about your artistic Hosted by Constantina Bush
background and cultural heritage. and featuring some of Far North
My cultural heritage is Gunggandji Queensland’s ridiculously funny
(Yarrabah - Joinbee). I have Indigenous stand-ups, including
only been involved in the art Sean Choolburra, Diat Alferink,
world for four years, since 2015. Jay Wymarra.
Within this time, I have been
involved in 18 exhibitions for my
paintings and drawings and six Embrace Projection Art
fashion performances for my A selection of Queensland
designs. I have taken the normal Aboriginal and Torres Strait
practices of the traditional dyeing, Islander art projected into the
weaving and dress making and Cairns cityscape, turning spaces
incorporated them into unique into canvases of light and colour.
pieces of fabric or wearable art.

What is your role in CIAF 2019?
I am the CIAF Fashion
Performance Curator, along with
Bernie Singleton and my designs
are also included in the fashion
performance. On the art side, I
was awarded Highly Commended
for my art piece ‘Flock Together’
as part of the Skytrans Design Art
Prize, which will be displayed in
the CIAF curated exhibition, My
Yarn Now. My photography works The most amazing
are also part of the Cairns Art thing about CIAF is
Gallery exhibition Queen’s land -
Blak Portraiture. the atmosphere - I
have never been to an
What will be the special moments
or highlights at this year’s CIAF? event that has such a
Definitely the CIAF fashion happy, inclusive vibe
performance. We are focusing
on the theme of us being “the where everyone comes
messenger” of our old peoples together as one.
through to the following
generations with a purpose to
promote Indigenous design and to
empower Indigenous youth through - Vanessa Gillen,
representation of who they are and CIAF General Manager
where they come from.

35 • tropicnow.com.au