Translating Tradition
Translating Tradition explores the customary ceremonies, rituals and stories of Maree Clarke and Mitch Mahoney’s ancestors; a timely reminder of the importance of preserving material culture and identity.
Translating Tradition explores the customary ceremonies, rituals and stories of Maree Clarke and Mitch Mahoney’s ancestors; a timely reminder of the importance of preserving material culture and identity.
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TRANSLATING<br />
TRADITION<br />
4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019<br />
1 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
<strong>Translating</strong> <strong>Tradition</strong> explores the customary ceremonies,<br />
rituals and stories of Clarke and Mahoney’s ancestors; a<br />
timely reminder of the importance of preserving material<br />
culture and identity.<br />
Maree Clarke is a Mutti Mutti/Yorta Yorta, Wemba Wemba<br />
Boonwurrung woman from north-eastern Victoria. An<br />
interdisciplinary artist, curator, mentor and advocate for reclaiming<br />
cultural knowledge, Clarke is a leader in nurturing and promoting<br />
the diversity of practice of contemporary south-east Aboriginal<br />
artists.<br />
Through extensive research and exploration of materials and<br />
techniques the artist has dedicated her practice to relearning skills<br />
that, prior to colonisation, were commonly handed down from<br />
generation to generation. In examining anthropological texts and<br />
photographs held in academic institutions around the world, Clarke<br />
revives ancient techniques, adapting them to a contemporary art<br />
practice.<br />
Clarke’s investigations into technique, which are strongly grounded<br />
in Country, have informed her practice for the last thirty years.<br />
Through this process Clarke is reinforcing the importance of<br />
preserving cultural knowledge which includes passing on the skills<br />
developed in her practice to her family. Most recently Clarke has<br />
been a mentor to her nephew Mitch Mahoney (Boonwurrung and<br />
Barkindji), a respected emerging artist in his own right. Together<br />
they have worked in collaboration with the Canberra Glassworks to<br />
create this body of work that uses the transparency of glass to speak<br />
of both loss and revival.<br />
The works in the exhibition translate traditional objects and<br />
materials such as body adornments, possum skins and eel traps,<br />
and places them within the context of contemporary art. Necklaces<br />
that are traditionally made from river reeds sourced from the<br />
waterways close to the Central Business District of Melbourne are<br />
reproduced in clear glass and supersized to reflect the scale of the<br />
loss of knowledge of cultural practices.<br />
Clarke has passed down the skills involved in the making of possum<br />
skin cloaks to her nephew; Mahoney’s interpretation of this tradition<br />
uses sandcast glass to incorporate symbols and stories from his<br />
family. The necklaces and string headbands adorned with kangaroo<br />
teeth are based on traditional nineteenth century cultural items held<br />
in the collection of the Melbourne Museum.<br />
2 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Mitch Mahoney<br />
Lines on Country<br />
2019<br />
sand cast and engraved glass, acrylic paint<br />
courtesy of the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery<br />
3 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
4 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Maree Clarke<br />
Personal possum skin cloak produced by friends and family<br />
2018<br />
possum skins, leather dye, waxed thread<br />
courtesy of the artist<br />
5 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
6 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Maree Clarke<br />
River reed necklace<br />
2019<br />
river reed, parrot feathers on waxed thread<br />
courtesy of the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery<br />
7 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Maree Clarke<br />
Glass river reed necklace with cockatoo feathers<br />
2019<br />
blown glass, cockatoo feathers on steel thread<br />
courtesy of the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery<br />
8 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
9 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
10 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Marre Clarke and Mitch Mahoney<br />
Thung-ung Coorang<br />
(Kangaroo teeth necklace)<br />
2019<br />
cast crystal, leather, sinew, kangaroo tooth<br />
courtesy of the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery<br />
11 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Maree Clarke<br />
A moment is time 1<br />
2019<br />
blown glass, red ochre on steel thread<br />
courtesy of the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery<br />
12 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
13 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Maree Clarke<br />
A moment is time 2<br />
2019<br />
blown glass, charcoal on steel thread<br />
courtesy of the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery<br />
14 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
15 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Maree Clarke<br />
A moment is time 3<br />
2019<br />
blown glass, white ochre on steel thread<br />
courtesy of the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery<br />
16 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
17 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
18 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Maree Clarke and Nicholas Hovington<br />
with Mitch Mahoney, Kylie Clarke, Indi Clarke<br />
Thung-ung Coorang<br />
(Kangaroo teeth necklace)<br />
2019<br />
kangaroo teeth, leather, sinew, earth pigment, 3d printed 18K gold-plated<br />
kangaroo tooth<br />
courtesy of the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery<br />
19 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Maree Clarke<br />
Breastplate with eagle feathers<br />
2014/2019<br />
ceramic, eagle feathers, copper wire, waxed thread<br />
Breastplate with 24 kangaroo teeth<br />
2014<br />
ceramic, kangaroo teeth (24), waxed thread<br />
Breastplate with crow feathers<br />
2014/2019<br />
ceramic, crow feathers, waxed thread<br />
courtesy of the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery<br />
20 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Maree Clarke<br />
Ancestral Memory 2<br />
2019<br />
blown and coldworked glass, stainless steel<br />
courtesy of the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery<br />
21 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
Exhibition partners<br />
Canberra Glassworks is supported by the ACT Government through artsACT and the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.<br />
Wine Partner<br />
Cover image<br />
Maree Clarke, Ancestral Memory 2, 2019, blown and coldworked glass, stainless steel.<br />
Courtesy of the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery<br />
Photographs: Brenton McGeachie<br />
Thanks to:<br />
Nick Adams, Scott Chaseling, Aimee Frodsham, Nadina Geary, Nicholas Hovington, Jaqueline Knight, Nyx Matthews, Peter Nolan,<br />
Tom Rowney, Kirstie Rea, Luna Ryan, Belinda Toll, Blanche Tilden, Nicholas Williams.<br />
Vivien Anderson Gallery and The Australian Council for the Arts VACS.<br />
22 | TRANSLATING TRADITION | 4 JULY TO 25 AUGUST, 2019
canberraglassworks.com<br />
11 Wentworth Ave, Kingston ACT 2604<br />
T 02 6260 7005<br />
E contactus@canberraglassworks.com<br />
opening hours<br />
Wed to Sun 10am to 4pm<br />
vivienandersongallery.com<br />
284-290 St Kilda Road, St Kilda VIC 3182<br />
T 03 8598 9657<br />
E info@vivienandersongallery.com
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