Ken Thaiday Senior, Darnley Man

Exhibitions Manager at Cairns Regional Gallery Justin Bishop tells the rich story of how Ken Thaiday Sr. came to be a major Torres Strait Islander artist. In August 2013, Cairns Regional Gallery, in partnership with Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF), will be presenting a survey exhibition of Ken Thaiday Sr.’s work.

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Louise Bourgeois: Late Works

Curator: Jason Smith Heide Museum of Modern Art 21 November 2012 – 11 March 2013

Caroline Phillips

Good Medicine

Being Aboriginal doesn’t make you wise, spiritual or even good at art. Being Aboriginal is historical just like being any other nationality or ethnicity. All art can be examined ethnographically, all people can be examined ethnographically.

Stephanie Radok

Harry James Wedge (1957–2012)

Assistant Curator of Indigenous Heritage Collections at the Macleay Museum Matt Poll writes a thoughtful, engaging and detailed account of the life and art of Harry Wedge, known as 'Big H' in his home community in Cowra. Poll says:" Harry’s artistic career remained an enigma to those closest to him throughout his life. His work is an exemplary case of an Australian outsider art – though not in the conventional definition."

Matt Poll

Toward Indigenous Criticism: The Ah Kee paradox

Métis artist, curator and academic David Garneau explores the current situation of indigenous art through increasing global links and connections.

David Garneau

My Country, I Still Call Australia Home: Interview with Bruce McLean

On curating My Country, I Still Call Australia Home: Contemporary Art from Black Australia, opening at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane on 1 June 2013.

Daniel Browning

Savanhdary Vongpoothorn: The Beautiful as Force

Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney 7–31 March 2013

Prue Gibson

New currency: Ryan Presley

Ryan Presley's 2011 series 'Blood Money' is remarkable. These commemorative banknotes substitute the heroes of the white Australian monoculture (Banjo Patterson, Dame Mary Gilmore, Dame Nellie Melba and Sir Henry Parkes) with Aboriginal heroes, resistance fighters such as Pemulwuy, his son Tjedaberiyn (also known as Tedbury), Dundalli and Jandamarra and others such as the Gurindji stockman Vincent Lingiari who led the Wave Hill walk-off, and the late Wik elder Gladys Tybingoompa.

Daniel Browning

The road to Pormpuraaw

Filmmaker Peter Hylands writes about a recent visit to the remote Pormpuraaw Art Centre in Far North Queensland. Here he talks with artist Sid Bruce Short Joe who speaks nine languages, the ninth is English.

Peter Hylands

Onside

Curator: Toni Bailey Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre 9 February – 24 March 2013

Lucy Ainsworth

Sculpture@Bathers

Curators: Tony Jones, Joanna Robertson Kidogo Arthouse and Bathers Beach Arts Precinct, Fremantle 16 March – 1 April 2013

Nien Schwarz

String theory: Karen Mills

Michelle Culpitt examines the work practice of Northern Territory artist Karen Mills whose paintings are inspired by the string bags made by the women weavers of Arnhem Land. Culpitt writes: "The articulation of her painterly vision is only possible at the nexus of her experience and influences as an Aboriginal woman in contemporary Australia, a place of both deep connection and belonging to country, and also disjuncture and dislocation from a nation in denial of its own history."

Michelle Culpitt

The dearth of criticism

Some artists are often heard to complain about the lack of honest criticism of Aboriginal art. But in such a limited sphere, criticising an Aboriginal artist in formal or aesthetic terms, or at a deeper level, is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. Too often, critics play the man and not the ball. Can we handle the truth?

Daniel Browning

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