Wala yukunh patatjulu (not cloud sky having)
Abstract Thoughts Gallery, Darlinghurst
7 March - 13 March 2023
7 March - 13 March 2023
Wala yukunh patatjulu (not cloud sky having) is an exhibition that starts conversations about identity, Culture, and community.
The work to be presented highlights the impressive diversity of Dr Keft’s practice - encompassing weaving, painting, sculpture, a participatory gallery activation and wearable eco-print art pieces.Throughout the exhibition Dr Keft will explore what it means to be a Murrawarri woman born and raised off-Country, attempting to maintain Culture that is deeply tied to place and Community whilst living afar. This exploration provides a common thread that is woven into each piece, providing a strong sense of cohesion despite the diversity of form.
The central motif of Wirambi (the Flying Fox), celebrates connection to place and community. Woven sculptural bats are created using ancient weaving techniques passed from Elders to the artist; emphasising that Culture persists. The contemporary figurative elements of the bats are interwoven with Aboriginal symbols and patterns. The woven branches on which the bats hang represent the complex and fragile connections between family, Culture, Country and Language. The interplay of light and shadow are integral to the installation of her sculptural work, the shapes of the woven bats against the interplay of light and shadow upon the eucalyptus leaf prints on silk reference the silhouetted bats against the gum trees and sky of Dharawal Country. Country is light, it is shadow, animals, plants - Country is what we can, and cannot see.
Dr Keft’s work tells a story of Dharawal Country - but it is a story that begins and continually returns to Murrawarri Country, Brewarrina, the fish traps, and the Barwon river. The mighty Barwon River is the lifeblood of Brewarrina - a place of great significance for Dr Keft’s family. Baiame’s Ngunnhu (the ancient fish traps) is a sacred meeting place for Murrawarri, Ngemba, Ualarai, and Wailwan Peoples. Corporate irrigators drain the river to feed the cotton and almond crops, and during times of drought, Country suffers. When the floods come, the 60,000 year old fish traps are submerged, the river flows, Country is nourished. The people, animals, birds, trees, plants and grasses are all connected. The health of the river is the health of Country. Dr Keft’s work speaks to the continuing narrative of the struggle to maintain this delicate balance.
The work to be presented highlights the impressive diversity of Dr Keft’s practice - encompassing weaving, painting, sculpture, a participatory gallery activation and wearable eco-print art pieces.Throughout the exhibition Dr Keft will explore what it means to be a Murrawarri woman born and raised off-Country, attempting to maintain Culture that is deeply tied to place and Community whilst living afar. This exploration provides a common thread that is woven into each piece, providing a strong sense of cohesion despite the diversity of form.
The central motif of Wirambi (the Flying Fox), celebrates connection to place and community. Woven sculptural bats are created using ancient weaving techniques passed from Elders to the artist; emphasising that Culture persists. The contemporary figurative elements of the bats are interwoven with Aboriginal symbols and patterns. The woven branches on which the bats hang represent the complex and fragile connections between family, Culture, Country and Language. The interplay of light and shadow are integral to the installation of her sculptural work, the shapes of the woven bats against the interplay of light and shadow upon the eucalyptus leaf prints on silk reference the silhouetted bats against the gum trees and sky of Dharawal Country. Country is light, it is shadow, animals, plants - Country is what we can, and cannot see.
Dr Keft’s work tells a story of Dharawal Country - but it is a story that begins and continually returns to Murrawarri Country, Brewarrina, the fish traps, and the Barwon river. The mighty Barwon River is the lifeblood of Brewarrina - a place of great significance for Dr Keft’s family. Baiame’s Ngunnhu (the ancient fish traps) is a sacred meeting place for Murrawarri, Ngemba, Ualarai, and Wailwan Peoples. Corporate irrigators drain the river to feed the cotton and almond crops, and during times of drought, Country suffers. When the floods come, the 60,000 year old fish traps are submerged, the river flows, Country is nourished. The people, animals, birds, trees, plants and grasses are all connected. The health of the river is the health of Country. Dr Keft’s work speaks to the continuing narrative of the struggle to maintain this delicate balance.
