FOUR new exhibitions are opening at the Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place on Thursday, 26 September.
A photographic exhibition of Back Track, an artefact exhibition of Aboriginal Musical Instruments, and two art exhibitions by Esther Quinlin and Richard Campbell will be on display until 24 November.
Interested members of the public are invited to the exhibition opening from 6pm.
Esther Quinlin was born on the Macleay River, NSW and raised on a Government Reserve.
She lives with her family at Bellbrook and teaches the pupils at Bellbrook School their native Thunghutti language in story and song so that it is never forgotten. She has lived and worked in different communities throughout Australia.
While living with desert people in Western Australia, she was given her skin name “GOONGUNU”.
This has the same meaning as her own Thungutti tribal name “MURRUNGHAN”, given to her by her mother. It means “good” or “lovely”.
Esther discovered her artistic talents in 1994 when she picked up a paintbrush for the first time. She does a variety of Aboriginal art work; each painting tells a story.
She has won a number of major art awards and is selling well commercially. Esther has exhibited widely Esther’s exhibition entitled Dunghutti Art Work will be on display alongside Richard Campbell’s Creation work.
As a little boy, Richard would help his dad paint shields, spears and boomerangs.
He said he would sketch pictures for his dad who would burn them into the wood and then Richard would put the paint in the design.
“Dad would sell them for food or beer; we were never hungry. If there was no money, dad would kill a roo or wallaby or take us fishing,” he said.
Richard undertook TAFE classes in Kempsey to study painting technique. His teachers recognised a depth in his work and encouraged him to further his education and share his knowledge. He completed a four-year degree in Visual Arts at Deakin University in Geelong.
Richard was a finalist in the prestigious 2007 Blake Prize for religious art .
“We all have a spiritual connection; we’re all brothers and sisters, with the animals, the trees, rivers and rocks, we all belong to one big god – call it Christ, we call it Birrigun, we are all one in God,” he said.
The photographic exhibition is of local youth group Back Track. This group offers young people who have lost their way an opportunity to reconnect with their education and training, to become work ready, find jobs, lead happy and productive lives and participate fully in the community.
The photographic exhibition covers three of their programs which are Ag Lads, Paws Up and Iron Man Welders.
