WITH support from Rio Tinto, the Art Gallery of Western Australia has announced the development of a new program that aims to explore traditional custodial narrative art in the Kimberley.
The $250,000 collaboration will lead to a significant visual arts project, which will begin with comprehensive regional consultation and research with indigenous communities across the Kimberley.
“Having Rio Tinto embrace the possibilities of this vision enables us to spend critical time working closely with communities, learning more about their cultures and aspirations, and finding new ways we can engage with the community on this exciting project,” Art Gallery of WA director Stefano Carboni said.
“I am particularly pleased to gain this valuable support for a project that is quite unique in enabling its purpose to be defined by the Indigenous communities who chose to participate, rather than being driven by the gallery.”
Rio Tinto chief executive iron ore and Australia, Sam Walsh, said the company was proud to be involved with a project that advocated an open, rather than a prescriptive approach.
“This is an excellent opportunity to support Aboriginal communities across the Kimberley working with our state’s leading visual arts institution to create something new and relevant to the communities’ own cultural aspirations,” Mr Walsh said.
The Art Gallery’s curator of indigenous art, Glenn Iseger-Pilkington, will coordinate the project.