Hi i have attach my assessment
31_2_artlink_New 1.pdf 38 | vol 31 # 2 [2011] < www.artlink.com.au="" i="" hate="" the="" word="" brand.="" people="" have="" forgotten="" the="" importance="" of="" sub-culture.="" we="" are="" a="" community="" and="" an="" intervention.="" ben="" watt,="" founder,="" buzzin’fly="" records1="" very="" so="" often="" i="" think="" about="" the="" word="" indigenous="" and="" the="" implications="" the="" word="" carries="" along="" with="" it.="" i="" often="" think="" about="" my="" family="" and="" how="" their="" lives="" are="" different="" from="" mine.="" they="" live="" in="" regional="" western="" australia,="" close="" to="" the="" land,="" but="" not="" in="" the="" romanticised="" fashion="" often="" associated="" with="" the="" indigenous="" brand.="" i="" live="" in="" the="" city,="" in="" an="" apartment="" overlooking="" the="" river="" and="" the="" freeway,="" with="" which="" i="" have="" a="" great="" affinity.="" my="" family="" are="" indigenous="" australians,="" yamitji="" people="" from="" the="" gascoyne="" murchison="" region="" and="" nyoongar="" people="" from="" the="" south="" west="" of="" western="" australia.="" most="" of="" my="" family="" live="" in="" yawuru="" and="" gija="" country="" in="" the="" kimberley,="" where="" i="" have="" spent="" a="" third="" of="" my="" life.="" they="" often="" fish,="" sometimes="" at="" a="" fairly="" remote="" fishing="" spot="" called="" minari="" and="" sometimes="" with="" a="" trolley="" at="" a="" less="" remote="" place="" called="" woolworths.="" like="" most="" of="" us,="" my="" family="" listen="" to="" popular="" music,="" travel="" on="" aeroplanes,="" use="" the="" internet,="" communicate="" by="" email="" and,="" most="" importantly,="" they="" don’t="" feel="" they="" are="" any="" less="" ‘indigenous’="" for="" doing="" so.="" i="" think="" about="" this="" probably="" a="" little="" too="" often,="" but="" this="" internal="" dialogue="" resonates="" right="" to="" my="" core.="" if="" i="" am="" one="" thing,="" i="" am="" hybrid,="" a="" result="" of="" many="" generations="" of="" diaspora.="" i="" am="" an="" indigenous="" man,="" but="" i="" am="" also="" dutch,="" french,="" english,="" scottish="" and="" pakistani="" and="" i,="" too,="" am="" australian.="" i="" am="" these="" many="" things,="" but="" branded="" as="" one.="" like="" a="" glowing="" iron="" brand="" taken="" from="" the="" red="" hot="" coals="" of="" a="" day-old="" fire,="" i="" have="" been="" marked,="" marketed,="" packaged="" and="" sold="" as="" an="" indigenous="" man.="" i="" wear="" this="" mark="" with="" pride,="" but="" this="" is="" just="" one="" component="" of="" my="" identity.="" in="" 2009="" i="" made="" a="" pilgrimage="" to="" melbourne="" to="" the="" national="" indigenous="" photographers’="" forum.="" indigenous="" photographers="" and="" artists="" travelled="" there="" from="" all="" corners="" of="" indigenous="" australia,="" from="" palm="" island,="" sydney,="" perth,="" darwin="" and="" remote="" tjuntjuntjara,="" to="" name="" a="" few.="" the="" first="" of="" its="" kind,="" the="" forum="" was="" coordinated="" by="" melbourne’s="" centre="" for="" contemporary="" photography="" to="" provide="" indigenous="" commercial="" photographers="" and="" visual="" artists="" with="" a="" platform="" to="" discover="" more="" about="" the="" technical="" and="" visual="" principles="" of="" photography.="" what="" i="" found="" most="" invigorating="" was="" the="" discussion="" surrounding="" the="" representation,="" or="" re-presentation,="" of="" indigenous="" people="" within="" historical="" colonial="" narratives,="" contemporary="" society="" and="" the="" art="" world.="" ‘re-presentation’="" in="" this="" context="" differs="" from="" representation="" and="" refers="" to="" indigenous="" artists="" who="" challenge="" historical="" representations="" of="" indigenous="" peoples.="" the="" role="" of="" the="" artist="" is="" in="" constant="" re-creation;="" like="" a="" snake="" shedding="" its="" skin,="" it="" is="" ephemeral,="" fluid,="" changing,="" growing,="" thriving,="" struggling="" and,="" above="" all,="" it="" is="" transient.="" both="" the="" nature="" and="" social="" role="" of="" contemporary="" art="" practice="" is="" ever-="" evolving.="" its="" purpose="" for="" some="" is="" expression,="" for="" others="" it="" is="" documentation,="" or="" radical="" thought.="" for="" others,="" it="" is="" a="" crucial="" tool="" used="" to="" re-present="" personal="" cultural="" identity="" and="" a="" sense="" of="" self.="" the="" question="" i="" asked="" myself="" as="" i="" left="" the="" forum="" was="" this:="" how="" do="" we="" re-brand="" ourselves="" in="" a="" world="" where="" our="" indigenous="" brand="" has="" become="" so="" synonymous="" with="" the="" context="" and="" content="" of="" our="" work?="" is="" it="" possible="" for="" a="" curator="" or="" artist="" to="" escape="" the="" ever-strengthening="" grip="" of="" ethnographic="" prescription,="" when="" it="" is="" this="" very="" prescription="" that="" the="" indigenous="" visual="" arts="" sector="" relies="" upon="" to="" sell="" the="" indigenous="" brand?="" if="" it="" were="" at="" all="" possible,="" why="" would="" one="" want="" to="" re-brand,="" or="" be="" freed="" from="" the="" brand?="" to="" bite="" the="" hand="" that="" feeds?="" why="" would="" mcdonalds="" be="" rid="" of="" its="" famous="" glowing="" golden="" arches?="" what="" became="" apparent="" over="" the="" three-day="" forum="" in="" melbourne="" was="" that="" the="" indigenous="" brand="" has="" become="" generalised.="" indigeneity="" is="" diverse,="" and="" its="" breadth="" of="" personal="" experience="" and="" sensibility="" is="" almost="" immeasurable.="" however,="" within="" the="" fine="" art="" field="" the="" alignment="" of="" the="" brand="" with="" a="" visual="" aesthetic="" means="" that="" those="" working="" beyond="" that="" aesthetic="" are="" in="" a="" constant="" fight="" for="" survival.="" you="" may="" ask="" what="" art="" fits="" this="" accepted="" aesthetic?="" and,="" if="" you="" work="" within="" the="" art="" world="" or="" are="" a="" passionate="" collector,="" then="" my="" commentary="" may="" seem="" ambiguous,="" dated="" and="" redundant.="" however,="" for="" a="" general="" public,="" this="" accepted="" aesthetic="" is="" dot="" painting="" from="" the="" central="" desert.="" this="" struggle="" is="" long-lived,="" continuing="" over="" some="" three="" decades,="" yet="" there="" is="" no="" surrender.="" artists="" such="" as="" fiona="" foley,="" dianne="" jones,="" tony="" albert,="" vernon="" ah="" kee,="" christian="" thompson,="" brenda="" l.="" croft,="" gordon="" hookey,="" richard="" bell,="" jenny="" fraser,="" nici="" cumpston="" and="" bindi="" cole="" continue="" to="" challenge="" the="" status="" quo="" by="" re-presenting="" their="" passions,="" their="" cultures,="" their="" people,="" and="" most="" importantly="" themselves,="" as="" considered="" contemporary="" artists="" engaged="" in="" art="" practice="" that="" redefines="" the="" notions="" of="" indigeneity.="" indigenous="" curators="" are="" now="" integral="" to="" collecting="" a="" breadth="" of="" indigenous="" work="" and="" delivering="" exhibitions="" that="" re-present="" indigenous="" people="" in="" a="" self-empowered="" manner.="" these="" curators="" and="" artists="" are="" at="" the="" forefront="" of="" this="" discussion,="" redefining="" publicly="" accepted="" understandings="" to="" reflect="" the="" diversity="" of="" australian="" indigenous="" life="" and,="" in="" a="" larger="" conversation,="" human="" life="" –="" after="" all,="" we="" are="" all="" just="" human.="" looking="" closely="" at="" the="" structures="" within="" both="" commercial="" and="" public="" art="" institutions="" it="" seems="" that="" the="" indigenous="" brand="" is="" both="" the="" angel="" and="" the="" devil.="" institutions="" have,="" in="" the="" past="" three="" to="" four="" decades,="" focused="" on="" developing="" indigenous="" e="" branded="" glenn="" iseger-pilkington="" debates="" the="" indigenous="" aesthetic="" d="" ow="" nl="" oa="" de="" d="" fr="" om="" s="" ea="" rc="" h.="" in="" fo="" rm="" it.="" or="" g/="" do="" i/1="" 0.="" 33="" 16="" in="" fo="" rm="" it.="" 84="" 36="" 34="" 64="" 84="" 25="" 61="" 2.="" f="" lin="" de="" rs="" u="" ni="" ve="" rs="" ity="" ,="" o="" n="" 09="" 2="" 2/="" 20="" 21="" 0="" 3:="" 14="" p="" m="" a="" e="" st="" ;="" u="" t="" c="" +="" 10="" :0="" 0.="" ©="" a="" rt="" lin="" k,="" 2="" 01="" 1.="" www.artlink.com.au=""> vol 31 # 2 [2011] | 39 Above: Tony Albert & friends (detail) Pay Attention (mirror view) 2009-10, mixed media on aluminium, each letter 75cm high, total length approximately 2100 cm. Courtesy the artist and roundabout. Below: Fiona Foley Wild times #2 2001, type-C photograph, 76 x 112 cm. Courtesy the artist and Niagara Galleries, Melbourne. D ow nl oa de d fr om s ea rc h. in fo rm it. or g/ do i/1 0. 33 16 /in fo rm it. 84 36 34 64 84 25 61 2. F lin de rs U ni ve rs ity , o n 09 /2 2/ 20 21 0 3: 14 P M A E ST ; U T C + 10 :0 0. © A rt lin k, 2 01 1. 40 | vol 31 # 2 [2011] < www.artlink.com.au collections and endless exhibitions advocating for indigenous artists and communities. but is it this advocacy in the most public of arenas that has predetermined the public conception of the indigenous brand and established the accepted and valued indigenous aesthetic? there is no question that traditional contemporary indigenous art practice, informed by ancestral lore, language, ceremony and story, has produced some of the most divine and visually succulent works of art to come out of australia. commercial and institutional commitment to this aspect of indigenous art has indeed changed the way the world perceives indigenous society, but at what cost? with such investment and emphasis on custodial practice, the associated notions of traditional life rich with language, cultural knowledge and custom have somehow become transferable to all indigenous artists, working in all mediums and thematic contexts. artists working in photomedia, video, and performance cannot escape the romantic notions of traditional custodial practice, and works produced by an indigenous artist are somehow isolated within the indigenous brand, compared to the associated aesthetic, and then often refuted. for some artists this is not a problem and actually provides inspiration for content working with a modality of institutional critique, as seen in the aboriginal dot painting series of 2001 by dianne jones. in these works jones uses the text “dot, dot, dot…” in simple and highly graphic works which investigate preconceived ideas around indigenous art and its accepted aesthetic. for artists engaging in the critical discourse of the global environment, whose work is informed, researched and seeking dynamic academic engagement with issues surrounding global race politics, oppression and accepted european history, such romantic notions of indigeneity are immobilising, generic and pre-determined stereotypes of the colonial world. in fiona foley’s presentation at the forum, she made the following commentary, which has been a catalyst for this article. i’d like to reflect on the series, wild times call, created in the united states during 2001, and the response to the work in australia. melbourne art critic robert nelson made the following observation about the seminole men in the photographs, attired in their regalia, standing on their reservation in tampa, florida. her photographs are monumental and melancholy, depicting the artist among her people, the largely massacred and displaced badtjala, formerly of fraser island. she often appears on her own, wrapped up in textiles of heavy weave or coarse loom-state pattern, looking over an australian landscape with heroic sadness. the same article also contained the word primitive no less than thirteen times. in an international context, i thought about white australia’s attitudes towards indigenous peoples the world over. did robert nelson think we – indigenous folk – all look the same? what was i to make of the language used in this review? is there a fixed type of thinking about race in australia? perhaps a lazy methodology in his www.artlink.com.au="" collections="" and="" endless="" exhibitions="" advocating="" for="" indigenous="" artists="" and="" communities.="" but="" is="" it="" this="" advocacy="" in="" the="" most="" public="" of="" arenas="" that="" has="" predetermined="" the="" public="" conception="" of="" the="" indigenous="" brand="" and="" established="" the="" accepted="" and="" valued="" indigenous="" aesthetic?="" there="" is="" no="" question="" that="" traditional="" contemporary="" indigenous="" art="" practice,="" informed="" by="" ancestral="" lore,="" language,="" ceremony="" and="" story,="" has="" produced="" some="" of="" the="" most="" divine="" and="" visually="" succulent="" works="" of="" art="" to="" come="" out="" of="" australia.="" commercial="" and="" institutional="" commitment="" to="" this="" aspect="" of="" indigenous="" art="" has="" indeed="" changed="" the="" way="" the="" world="" perceives="" indigenous="" society,="" but="" at="" what="" cost?="" with="" such="" investment="" and="" emphasis="" on="" custodial="" practice,="" the="" associated="" notions="" of="" traditional="" life="" rich="" with="" language,="" cultural="" knowledge="" and="" custom="" have="" somehow="" become="" transferable="" to="" all="" indigenous="" artists,="" working="" in="" all="" mediums="" and="" thematic="" contexts.="" artists="" working="" in="" photomedia,="" video,="" and="" performance="" cannot="" escape="" the="" romantic="" notions="" of="" traditional="" custodial="" practice,="" and="" works="" produced="" by="" an="" indigenous="" artist="" are="" somehow="" isolated="" within="" the="" indigenous="" brand,="" compared="" to="" the="" associated="" aesthetic,="" and="" then="" often="" refuted.="" for="" some="" artists="" this="" is="" not="" a="" problem="" and="" actually="" provides="" inspiration="" for="" content="" working="" with="" a="" modality="" of="" institutional="" critique,="" as="" seen="" in="" the="" aboriginal="" dot="" painting="" series="" of="" 2001="" by="" dianne="" jones.="" in="" these="" works="" jones="" uses="" the="" text="" “dot,="" dot,="" dot…”="" in="" simple="" and="" highly="" graphic="" works="" which="" investigate="" preconceived="" ideas="" around="" indigenous="" art="" and="" its="" accepted="" aesthetic.="" for="" artists="" engaging="" in="" the="" critical="" discourse="" of="" the="" global="" environment,="" whose="" work="" is="" informed,="" researched="" and="" seeking="" dynamic="" academic="" engagement="" with="" issues="" surrounding="" global="" race="" politics,="" oppression="" and="" accepted="" european="" history,="" such="" romantic="" notions="" of="" indigeneity="" are="" immobilising,="" generic="" and="" pre-determined="" stereotypes="" of="" the="" colonial="" world.="" in="" fiona="" foley’s="" presentation="" at="" the="" forum,="" she="" made="" the="" following="" commentary,="" which="" has="" been="" a="" catalyst="" for="" this="" article.="" i’d="" like="" to="" reflect="" on="" the="" series,="" wild="" times="" call,="" created="" in="" the="" united="" states="" during="" 2001,="" and="" the="" response="" to="" the="" work="" in="" australia.="" melbourne="" art="" critic="" robert="" nelson="" made="" the="" following="" observation="" about="" the="" seminole="" men="" in="" the="" photographs,="" attired="" in="" their="" regalia,="" standing="" on="" their="" reservation="" in="" tampa,="" florida.="" her="" photographs="" are="" monumental="" and="" melancholy,="" depicting="" the="" artist="" among="" her="" people,="" the="" largely="" massacred="" and="" displaced="" badtjala,="" formerly="" of="" fraser="" island.="" she="" often="" appears="" on="" her="" own,="" wrapped="" up="" in="" textiles="" of="" heavy="" weave="" or="" coarse="" loom-state="" pattern,="" looking="" over="" an="" australian="" landscape="" with="" heroic="" sadness.="" the="" same="" article="" also="" contained="" the="" word="" primitive="" no="" less="" than="" thirteen="" times.="" in="" an="" international="" context,="" i="" thought="" about="" white="" australia’s="" attitudes="" towards="" indigenous="" peoples="" the="" world="" over.="" did="" robert="" nelson="" think="" we="" –="" indigenous="" folk="" –="" all="" look="" the="" same?="" what="" was="" i="" to="" make="" of="" the="" language="" used="" in="" this="" review?="" is="" there="" a="" fixed="" type="" of="" thinking="" about="" race="" in="" australia?="" perhaps="" a="" lazy="" methodology="" in="">