Aboriginal Memorial
Encyclopedia
The Aboriginal Memorial is a work of contemporary Indigenous Australian art
from the late 1980s, and comprises 200 decorated hollow-log coffins. The coffins were created by 43 artists from Ramingining
and neighbouring communities of Central Arnhem Land
, in the Northern Territory
. Artists who participated in its creation included David Malangi
and George Milpurrurru.
The work was created to coincide with the Australian Bicentenary
and commemorates those Indigenous Australians
who died as a result of European settlement. It was acquired by the National Gallery of Australia
, where it is on permanent display. Its first exhibition was at the Sydney Biennale in 1988, and it was the centrepiece of an exhibition of Indigenous art at Russia's Hermitage Museum
in 2000. As of 2010 it stands at the entry to the National Gallery's new building that opened in September 2010.
on Sydney Harbour in 1788. While some Indigenous Australians protested the event, and referred to the occasion as Invasion Day rather than Australia Day
, a group of Indigenous artists from Ramingining
in the Northern Territory
decided to create an artwork to mark the anniversary. The project was initiated by Djon Mundine, an Indigneous art advisor and curator, who was working at Ramingining prior to the Bicentenary. A small group of artists including David Malangi
, Paddy Dhathangu, George Milpurrurru and Jimmy Wululu decided the form of the project, but ultimately 43 artists from the region contributed pieces to the Memorial.
The work takes the form of 200 hollow-log coffins, known as dupun: the number was chosen to mark the years of European settlement. Such coffins are a form of funerary art
and are used throughout the Arnhem Land region for reburial ceremonies. The items displayed in Aboriginal Memorial, however, were created for the purpose of the artwork and have not at any stage contained human remains, not been used in reburial ceremonies. The work was intended "to commemorate the thousands of Aboriginal people who had perished in the course of European settlement, and for whom it has not been possible to conduct appropriate mortuary rites
". The intention behind the work drew attention in 2005 when Melbourne newspaper The Age
ran an editorial asking whether it might be appropriate to commemorate Aboriginal resistance to white settlement at the Australian War Memorial
, and to move the Aboriginal Memorial to that location as part of that commemoration.
Log coffins are made from trees that have been naturally hollowed out by termites. They are cut, cleaned and then painted with natural pigments during a ceremonial camp. The Aboriginal Memorial decorations reflect traditional clan designs and significant dreamings
for which the artists had responsibility.
, which helped fund its completion. After being first exhibited at the Sydney Biennale in 1988, it was moved to the National Gallery, its present home. In 2000, the Memorial formed the centrepiece of a major exhibition of Australian Indigenous art held in the prestigious Nicholas Hall
at the Hermitage Museum
in Russia. The exhibition received a positive reception from Russian critics, one of whom wrote:
Described as an icon of the National Gallery's collection, and "one of the outstanding works of art to have been created in Australia", the memorial is laid out with a central pathway between the log-coffins representing the passage of the Glyde River through central Arnhem Land
. In the late 2000s, the work was included in the list of the 20 most valuable artworks in the Gallery's collection, and was the only Australian artwork to make that list. At that time, of the 20 most valuable Australian artworks in the collection, it was also the only one by Indigenous artists. Andrew Sayers, former head of Australia's National Portrait Gallery
and head of the National Museum of Australia
, described the work as "among the most profound works of art to emerge from the last 20 years".
In the late 2000s, the work was temporarily withdrawn from display to undergo significant conservation work. Completed in October 2009, the restoration was followed by the work's relocation in 2010 to the entrance area of the new gallery building, where it is intended to be the first work seen by visitors to the gallery.
Contemporary Indigenous Australian art
Contemporary Indigenous Australian art is the modern art work produced by Indigenous Australians. It is generally regarded as beginning with a painting movement that started at Papunya, northwest of Alice Springs, Northern Territory in 1971, involving artists such as Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri...
from the late 1980s, and comprises 200 decorated hollow-log coffins. The coffins were created by 43 artists from Ramingining
Ramingining, Northern Territory
Ramingining is an Indigenous community in the Northern Territory, Australia, 560 km east of Darwin. It is on the edge of the Arafura Swamp in Arnhem Land...
and neighbouring communities of Central Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land
The Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500 km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National...
, in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. Artists who participated in its creation included David Malangi
David Malangi
David Malangi was an Indigenous Australian Yolngu artist from the Northern Territory. He was one of the most well known bark painters from Arnhem Land and a significant figure in contemporary Indigenous Australian art. He was born at Mulanga, on the east bank of the Glyde River.He painted on...
and George Milpurrurru.
The work was created to coincide with the Australian Bicentenary
Australian Bicentenary
The bicentenary of Australia was celebrated in 1970 on the 200th anniversary of Captain James Cook landing and claiming the land, and again in 1988 to celebrate 200 years of permanent European settlement.-1970:...
and commemorates those Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
who died as a result of European settlement. It was acquired by the National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art gallery of Australia, holding more than 120,000 works of art. It was established in 1967 by the Australian government as a national public art gallery.- Establishment :...
, where it is on permanent display. Its first exhibition was at the Sydney Biennale in 1988, and it was the centrepiece of an exhibition of Indigenous art at Russia's Hermitage Museum
Hermitage Museum
The State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,...
in 2000. As of 2010 it stands at the entry to the National Gallery's new building that opened in September 2010.
Creation
In 1988, Australia marked 200 years since its first official white settlement, established by Captain Arthur PhillipArthur Phillip
Admiral Arthur Phillip RN was a British admiral and colonial administrator. Phillip was appointed Governor of New South Wales, the first European colony on the Australian continent, and was the founder of the settlement which is now the city of Sydney.-Early life and naval career:Arthur Phillip...
on Sydney Harbour in 1788. While some Indigenous Australians protested the event, and referred to the occasion as Invasion Day rather than Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
, a group of Indigenous artists from Ramingining
Ramingining, Northern Territory
Ramingining is an Indigenous community in the Northern Territory, Australia, 560 km east of Darwin. It is on the edge of the Arafura Swamp in Arnhem Land...
in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
decided to create an artwork to mark the anniversary. The project was initiated by Djon Mundine, an Indigneous art advisor and curator, who was working at Ramingining prior to the Bicentenary. A small group of artists including David Malangi
David Malangi
David Malangi was an Indigenous Australian Yolngu artist from the Northern Territory. He was one of the most well known bark painters from Arnhem Land and a significant figure in contemporary Indigenous Australian art. He was born at Mulanga, on the east bank of the Glyde River.He painted on...
, Paddy Dhathangu, George Milpurrurru and Jimmy Wululu decided the form of the project, but ultimately 43 artists from the region contributed pieces to the Memorial.
The work takes the form of 200 hollow-log coffins, known as dupun: the number was chosen to mark the years of European settlement. Such coffins are a form of funerary art
Funerary art
Funerary art is any work of art forming, or placed in, a repository for the remains of the dead. Tomb is a general term for the repository, while grave goods are objects—other than the primary human remains—which have been placed inside...
and are used throughout the Arnhem Land region for reburial ceremonies. The items displayed in Aboriginal Memorial, however, were created for the purpose of the artwork and have not at any stage contained human remains, not been used in reburial ceremonies. The work was intended "to commemorate the thousands of Aboriginal people who had perished in the course of European settlement, and for whom it has not been possible to conduct appropriate mortuary rites
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
". The intention behind the work drew attention in 2005 when Melbourne newspaper The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
ran an editorial asking whether it might be appropriate to commemorate Aboriginal resistance to white settlement at the Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
, and to move the Aboriginal Memorial to that location as part of that commemoration.
Log coffins are made from trees that have been naturally hollowed out by termites. They are cut, cleaned and then painted with natural pigments during a ceremonial camp. The Aboriginal Memorial decorations reflect traditional clan designs and significant dreamings
Dreaming (spirituality)
The Dreaming is a common term within the animist creation narrative of indigenous Australians for a personal, or group, creation and for what may be understood as the "timeless time" of formative creation and perpetual creating....
for which the artists had responsibility.
Exhibition and critical reception
The creators of the Aboriginal Memorial always intended that it be publicly displayed, and in 1987 the work was offered to the National Gallery of AustraliaNational Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art gallery of Australia, holding more than 120,000 works of art. It was established in 1967 by the Australian government as a national public art gallery.- Establishment :...
, which helped fund its completion. After being first exhibited at the Sydney Biennale in 1988, it was moved to the National Gallery, its present home. In 2000, the Memorial formed the centrepiece of a major exhibition of Australian Indigenous art held in the prestigious Nicholas Hall
Neva Enfilade of the Winter Palace
The Neva Enfilade of the Winter Palace, St Petersburg is a series of three large halls arranged in an enfilade along the palace's massive facade facing the River Neva....
at the Hermitage Museum
Hermitage Museum
The State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,...
in Russia. The exhibition received a positive reception from Russian critics, one of whom wrote:
This is an exhibition of contemporary art, not in the sense that it was done recently, but in that it is cased in the mentality, technology and philosophy of radical art of the most recent times. No one, other than the Aborigines of Australia, has succeeded in exhibiting such art at the Hermitage.
Described as an icon of the National Gallery's collection, and "one of the outstanding works of art to have been created in Australia", the memorial is laid out with a central pathway between the log-coffins representing the passage of the Glyde River through central Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land
The Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500 km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National...
. In the late 2000s, the work was included in the list of the 20 most valuable artworks in the Gallery's collection, and was the only Australian artwork to make that list. At that time, of the 20 most valuable Australian artworks in the collection, it was also the only one by Indigenous artists. Andrew Sayers, former head of Australia's National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery (Australia)
The National Portrait Gallery of Australia is a collection of portraits of prominent Australians that are important in their field of endeavour or whose life sets them apart as an individual of long-term public interest...
and head of the National Museum of Australia
National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia was formally established by the National Museum of Australia Act 1980. The National Museum preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation....
, described the work as "among the most profound works of art to emerge from the last 20 years".
In the late 2000s, the work was temporarily withdrawn from display to undergo significant conservation work. Completed in October 2009, the restoration was followed by the work's relocation in 2010 to the entrance area of the new gallery building, where it is intended to be the first work seen by visitors to the gallery.