Alison Murray is congratulated by Sponsor Christ Marsh for winning the Inaugural CIAF Emerging Artist Award 2017

The Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre and artists have excelled this year at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF).

“We began our association with the event at the very first CIAF in 2009,” Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre Manager Valerie Keenan said.

“It was held at the Tanks Art Centre and we have been involved every year since then.

“It is now held at the Cairns Cruise Terminal and this year for the first time major awards were provided.

“Artist Alison Murray received the Inaugural Emerging Artist Award this year for a series of 10 ceramic works about her family.

“The work was universally acclaimed at CIAF and is in the process of being acquired by a major institution.

“Alison adds this award to earlier successes which includes being a finalist of the 2016 Indigenous Ceramic Art Awards in Shepparton and represented in the prestigious annual exhibition, Salon des Refuses in Darwin in 2016.

“We were also very proud to have the art centre recognised for its contribution and received the Highly Commended Art Centre Award.

“The artists and the art centre have gained a reputation for producing quality work and it is our aim to support artists to develop their arts practice and achieve great outcomes.

“It is very much a team effort.”

Abe Muriata fields media questions at CIAF. He is standing in front of a large eel trap he created. Photo V Keenan GAAC.

Girramay Artist Abe Muriata participated in a raft of media interviews during CIAF on the subject of Fake Art Harms Culture.

This campaign spear-headed by the Indigenous Art Code is designed to make people aware that there is an overabundance of un-authentic Aboriginal product being sold under the guise of the genuine article.

“I’ve seen boomerangs that were made in Asia,” Abe Muriata said.

“Painted by someone who wasn’t an Aboriginal.

“Boomerangs like these follow a pattern, are generally mass produced and are essentially a picture to hang on the wall.

“They are fake and they are not cultural.

“But, if you look at a genuine traditional boomerang, the object, its patterns and drawings tell one or more stories.

“They are inherently cultural.

“But, somewhere along the line the story stopped and the picture took over.

“Something a bit like boomerangs that are made for the tourist market.

“The object has gone beyond the story.

“It has got bigger than all of us.

“In a way it was inevitable.

“While there may be some sort of controls we can put into place, all I suspect that we can do is ensure acknowledgement of ownership and origins and endeavour to seek some sort of compensation for Aboriginal people.”

The Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre is funded by the Arts Queensland Backing Indigenous Arts Fund and the Ministry of the Arts Indigenous Visual Arts Strategy.

An artist supported by the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre, Philip was overwhelmed to hear that his entry was successful.

“My culture is very important to me and this means that I will be able to continue the work of my parents,” Philip said.

“My son Nephi is already a successful artist and now he will be able to help me with my work.”

The fellowship will allow Philip and Nephi to travel to Melbourne to look at traditional objects from this area in the Melbourne Museum.

“Nephi saw a turkey trap when he went down earlier this year.

“I make a lot of string and I want to make a fish trap and turkey trap.

“The last time I saw one made was by my father Andy Denham.

“Mrs Ninney Murray will show me how to make a trap and then I want to teach others.”

Once Philip has finished his traps he will then look at using the bush string to make more contemporary items.

“Philip began making bush string on a regular basis about 12 months ago,” Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre Manager Valerie Keenan said.

“His technique has matured during that period and the string he makes is of an amazing quality.

“He is very committed to making sure that cultural practices of rainforest culture are maintained.”

Philip Denham accepts IACA Lucille Osborne Emerging Artist Award in Cairns. Photo R Morten Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre

Local girl Madeline Cowe, currently Miss World Australia, visited the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre recently.
Crowned Miss World Australia last July and runner up for Miss Universe in 2015 Madeline returned home briefly in between official Miss Australia engagements.
Madeline grew up in Murray Upper on a cane and cattle farm, just to the south of Tully.
“I feels very lucky to be able to grow up in the country side, surrounded by nice and friendly people,” Madeline said.
‘I grew up here in a region very close to my heart.
“One of my best memories is going swimming at the Murray Falls.
“I attended the Murray Upper School and have fond memories, especially learning about Aboriginal culture and songs in the local dialect.”

Emily Murray with Miss Australia Madeline Cowe at Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre in Cardwell

Madeline and her mum Sue, joined the Girringun artists for morning tea and for a casual chat.
The purpose of her visit was to choose an artwork to take to the Miss World International Pageant in Washington DC in December.
“Gifts from all the countries represented will be taken to the pageant by the competitors, Madeline said.
“Five of these gifts will be chosen, displayed on stage and auctioned for worldwide children charities during a gala.
“Australia is a new country in terms of white settlement but the Indigenous culture is so old.
“A gift coming from the artists working with the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre will so well represent Australia.
“I know it will be a hard competition in the US.
“So far, winning my Miss World Australia title is my biggest accomplishment.
“I worked so hard for it and have wanted to do it for such a long time.”

When she was very young, Madeline had no idea what she wanted to aspire to but later decided to study law, with child protection as a specific focus.
“I want to help, to make a difference.
“In remote and rural areas people can’t access such services.
“If you can make life better it is worth it.
“I’m a country girl.
“I can show where I came from and which opportunities I have had.
“I hope younger people will be inspired.’

Madeline’s dream wasn’t to be a model, but it was always in the back of her mind.
One day, ‘OZ next top model’ came to Townsville; she registered, got selected and moved to the next round.
She moved to Sydney for 2 months, started modelling and also began taking part in pageants.
“That’s how I got crowned Miss World Australia,” tells Madeline.
“Modelling is just showing clothes but with pageants you are able to be yourself and relay a message to the public.
“It is more fulfilling.
“It took a lot of dedication and I’m learning so much.
“It is the experience of a lifetime.’

“As Miss World Australia,” Madeline told us, “we visited Aboriginal communities with the Variety Children Charity.
“I went to Elcho Island, in Arnhem Land NT and the community was given a school bus for children with special needs.
The Murray Upper School will also benefit as Madeline will be providing a series of books, part of ‘The Honey Ant Readers’.
These are a series of learn-to-read books with complementary resources, developed for Australian Indigenous learners with traditional Elders, to make literacy learning relevant, meaningful, engaging and fun, using traditional language.

An amazing artist and weaver, Abe has had his work acquired by a number of major collections including the British Museum, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Museum of Australia, the Qld Art Gallery, the University of Qld Art Museum and others.

To read the article go to:

http://garlandmag.com/article/craft-classic-jawun/

Photo:  Abe Muriata with painted Jawun for British Museum. Photo Girringun Aboriginal Corporation

Represented by the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre Alison travelled to Shepparton last Saturday night with Art Centre Manager Dr Valerie Keenan for the awards ceremony.

Alison met with other artists who were included in the exhibition and attended a number of masterclasses and panel sessions during her visit.

“My visit to Shepparton was exciting,” Alison said.

“Before I went I was really looking forward to see how the bagu were being presented because we were using a different hanging system.

Once I saw them I thought they were very well displayed and fitted inw ell with the six other displays in the exhibition.”

The major prize was awarded to Shepparton based Gallery Kaiela artists Jack Anselmi and Cynthia Hardiw with a large floor installed ceramic, raku, porcelain and terracotta ‘Midden’.

This is not the first time Girringun artists have been represented in the art prize with a group of artists included in the 2011 exhibition which later toured to the Flinders University Gallery in Adelaide.  The artists at that event were Maureen Beeron, Sally Murray, Trish Beeron and Eileen Tep.

“Inclusion in an exhibition of this calibre clearly demonstrates the creativity and talents of all the artists who work at the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre and particularly, in this case, of Alison Murray,” Girringun Art Cemtre Manager Valerie Keenan said.

“Other examples of her sculptural works were most recently showcased at the Salon des Refuses with a trio of Bagu in Darwin and earlier this year with a large sculpture included in an outdoor installation which is currently on display in Monaco, Valerie Keenan said.

Alison is one of two Queensland artists included in current exhibition in Shepparton.

Artists were invited to submit proposals for the Shepparton awards so Alison decided to create works which reflected on members of her immediate family to create 10 figurative artworks.

Once the proposal was accepted she then had a relatively short time frame to create the works in time for shipment to Shepparton in July.

Her attention to detail, understanding of colour balance and pattern making have resulted in a collection of beautifully defined and rendered works, each a masterpiece in itself.

Alison is a quiet achiever and deserves every accolade which comes her way.”

Alison Murray with some of the 10 bagu she completed for the 2016 National Indigenous Ceramic Art Awards. Photo V Keenan Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre

The Governor of Queensland Her Excellency Penelope Wensley met the Bagu on the Foreshore artists Charlotte Beeron and Eileen Tep in February in Cardwell. She was very impressed by the large works and promised to let everyone know about the great artworks which originate in the Girringun region as she travels around the world. Girramay Elder Claude Beeron welcomed the Governor on country. Together with the CCRC Mayor Bill Shannon, Ms Wensley later visited the Girringun offices and was introduced to all available staff and shown around the premises. Claude presented Ms Wensley with a small Bagu with Jiman made by Charlotte Beeron and she promised to compare notes with Prince William who was presented with a Bagu with Jiman after Cyclone Yasi.

Bagu on foreshore, Cardwell: Eileen Tep, Charlotte Beeron, Her Excellency Governor of Queensland Penelope Wensley & Girrimay Elder Claude Beeron.