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Becoming CuratorsBy Louise Hamby, Research School of Humanities, ANUexperience was to meet gallery staff andgain an understanding of their roles inthe development of the exhibition.The staff included Director Cath Bowdler,Linda Elliot, the Public Programs Curator,Curator Stephen Payne and MelanieEvans, the Indigenous Trainee for theexhibition Yarra.The upcoming exhibitionGapuwiyak MiyalkurrwurrGong Djambitjmala: Women WithClever Hands was the impetus forLucy Wanapuyungu, her daughterAnna Malibirr and grandson RyanMunungurr to fly south in April tobe part of two events, one at theAustralian National Universityand the other at Wagga WaggaArt Gallery.Women With Clever Hands is the firstexhibition of fibre work to be shownfrom women from Gapuwiyak and isbeing curated by Louise Hamby from theAustralian National University, assistedby Lucy Wanapuyungu. Supported byVISIONS development funding this showwill open in September 2010 at theWagga Wagga Art Gallery. It is unusualin that the national tour will includea small portion of the exhibition thatwill travel by Troop Carrier to selectedArnhem Land Art Centres. One of thesewill be the new Gapuwiyak Culture andArts Centre.With assistance from ANKAAA Lucyand Anna were first able to participatein a two-day workshop at the ResearchSchool of Humanities for graduatestudents in the course IndigenousCollections and Exhibitions. They werepart of a group of Indigenous curatorsthat included Lorraine Coutts fromMuseum Victoria, Joe Gumbula fromGaliwin’ku and Julie Gough fromTasmania, who are currently curatingexhibitions that are in various stages ofdevelopment. The workshop providedopportunities not only for the students tolearn about issues the curators thoughtwere important but also for the curatorsto gain insights from each other.As part of the intensive Lucy and Annaworked with a group of students withpieces from Gapuwiyak to explain theirselection criteria compared to the groupwithout their input. Lucy explained tothe students herconcept of oldstyles and waysand new styles.The secondportion of thestay involveda trip toWagga WaggaArt Gallery,partners in thedevelopment ofthe exhibition.Part of theThe highlight of the stay was acommunity meeting with local Wiradjuriartists and elders organised by theIndigenous Liaison Officer, Kelly Murray,from the Wagga Wagga Counciland the Gallery. This was held on thebanks of the Murrumbidgee River. Lucyand Anna demonstrated techniquesand showed work and materials fromGapuwiyak.The result of this meeting is thatWiradjuri women would like to cometo Gapuwiyak and learn from Lucy andothers. It is hoped that Women withClever Hands will help bring togetherthis two groups with a common interestin fibre and maintaining cultural values.Above: Wagga Wagga Art Gallery Director CathBowdler, Lucy Wanapuyungu and Anna Maliburr.Below: Community meeting with Wiradjuri artistsand elders, Murrumbidgee River, Wagga Wagga14 Arts Backbone – Projects and training Volume 9: Issue 1 June/July 2009
Artists get I.T!By Thisbie PurichWell it looks like everybody gotsomething different out the BIAcomputer training that ANKAAAhelped organise during the lastcouple of months and what abig job those trainers have donevisiting nineteen communities.Michelle Williams and Paul Suttondid the Top End, and Neville Kingvisited the Kimberley and SouthernNT region. The training comesfrom a grant ANKAAA appliedfor from the government BackingIndigenous Ability (BIA) program,which delivered two training days,each to nineteen Art Centres,with training taking place incommunities on laptops.Each trainer and art centre had a differentfocus and approach. Michelle and Paulfocused on skills utilizing photographyso people could take away finished workand develop an enthusiasm that mightlead to further interest in using computers.Neville’s training focused more onpractical skills the Art Centre staff neededfor running day-to-day business.I think everybody was surprised at howmuch ‘good stuff’ could be done on thecomputer.When Neville was working withMangkaja Arts at Fitzroy Crossing thegroup consisted of older traditionalowners from the surrounding areasof Fitzroy Crossing. The traineesresearched stock horses, westernclothing, cattleman's boots and Akubrahats using the Internet. Neville foundlots of people who previously had notused the Internet at all due to theirage and some men who refused to sitdown due to their lack of literacy andthe shame of not being able to reador write. Once they got going thoughthey became very keen. It was alsointeresting to hear traditional ownersexplaining their country as Neville tookthem through Google Earth. Peoplewere able to tell stories of totemsand events over hundreds of squarekilometres showing landforms andboundaries of their land.Whilst visiting other Art Centres suchas Mowanjum in Derby, Neville wasasked to teach the Art Centre staffsome skills on the computers to helpwith art centre business. He taughtMicrosoft Word, Excel and File makingprograms, computer virus protectionand the importance of backing up work.At Merrepen Arts, Daly River when theirInternet was down they learnt how tomake their own slide shows using PowerPoint. Of course, there was also plentyof help with learning some fun things aswell such as Internet sites for car salesand using the web camera, and lookingat videos on YouTube.Michelle and Paul gave everybodysome great training as well and taught190 people at 13 centres. During theirtraining they taught people how to usea digital camera, make their own photopages, posters, signs, CD’s and ArtistsStories. People also learnt how to useemail and many people asked and gothelp with Internet banking.In some Art Centres people learnt howto make videos mixing photos of theirwork and their community with musicand their voice talking over explainingthings.Michelle and Paul also made sure theirtraining was practical. They gave goodadvice on what sort of camera andequipment to buy for remote use just incase batteries, spare parts or servicingis difficult. They also made sure thesoftware was compatible and easy touse. So it seems it was really worthwhileto do this training and would be worthdoing again in the future.Thanks to the hard working andtravelling trainers Michelle, Paul andNeville.Left: I.T. Training, Warlayirti Arts, Balgo. Photo:Neville King.Right: I.T. Training, Jilamara Arts, Milikapiti, BrianFarmer. Photo: Michelle Sutton.Volume 9: Issue 1 June/July 2009 Projects and training – Arts Backbone 15
Page 2: Welcome from the ANKAAA Chairperson
Page 5 and 6: Forty Years of Bima WearBy Steven M
Page 7 and 8: By Will Stubbs, Coordinator Buku-La
Page 9 and 10: The Pandanus ProjectBy Fleur Parry,
Page 11 and 12: Mowanjum: 50 years of Community His
Page 13: Community Museums: Muluwurri Museum
Page 17 and 18: Red Ochre Awardand One Year Celebra
Page 19 and 20: Out and About!ANKAAA AGM December 2

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