BEFORE TIME TODAY

REINVENTING TRADITION IN AURUKUN ABORIGNAL ART

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Until recently the community of Aurukun on the northern tip of Queensland’s Cape York was rarely in the news for positive reasons. It had a pattern of community violence, alcohol abuse and dysfunction that is regrettably common in remote Aboriginal communities. Yet there has been some good news. First it was reported that educational reforms at the local state school have resulted in consistent improvements in literacy, attendance rates and dramatic improvements in learning outcomes. Then a paper released by the Queensland government found consistent reduction in reports of violent assaults and improved social integration as a result of measures like income quarantining, housing improvement and educational reforms.

Community life has a direct impact on Indigenous art in a way that differs from that of art from other contemporary Australian artists. Yet, much of what is written about Aboriginal art generally is couched in romantic terms—drawing on its intrinsic connections to the natural forces that have guided traditional tribal living. While this is valid, important and essential, the other day to day issues that impact on the artists as individuals, family and community members are often overlooked.

As in many Indigenous communities in recent years, art production in Aurukun has been a source of personal and community income, and national and international success. However, unusually for Queensland, Aurukun has produced art consistently for decades, and part of the stimulus for this extraordinarily large exhibition of art from Aurukun at the University of Queensland Art Museum was the holdings from this area in the University’s Anthropology Museum, collected in the 1940s and 1950s. This complemented the significant collection of contemporary art held by the Art Museum. Added to the long history... The rest of this article is available to subscribers of Eyeline

Arthur Koo’Ekka Pambegan Jr, Untitled III (Walkan-aw and Kalben designs), 2007. Natural ochres and charcoal with synthetic polymer binder on linen, 117 x 183cm. Private collection. Photography Mick Richards.

Unknown Artist/s (Aurukun), Freshwater shark, c.1962. Ochres on wood with bone and glass. 20.5 x 133 x 19cm. Collection National Museum of Australia. Frederick McCarthy Collection. Photography George Serras. Courtesy National Museum of Australia.