Monday 18 July 2011
During the mid semester break I went to Cairns on a holiday to visit my friend Bernard (Bernie) Singleton an emerging Indigenous artist. In anticipation of this Indigenous Art, Culture and Design subject I was excited to hear that Bernie’s first solo exhibition was on show at UMI Arts Shop and Exhibition Gallery.
Bernie’s exhibition titled ‘Coen Mu..Bidagarra-La’ (from Coen to the Barron River), included some of his more recent traditional and contemporary paintings, and artefacts. I had previously seen some of Bernie’s work in photo’s that he had emailed me, however I was just absolutely blow away with his work up close.
Bernie was born in Cairns, yet grew up in a small Aboriginal community of Coen, Cape York. His mother is a Djabuguy woman born in Mona Mona mission, while his father is an Umpila/Yirrkandji man from Yarrabah mission.
Bernie’s inspiration for his artwork comes from the memories and experiences of his childhood. He would always go fishing, hunting, visit cave paintings and sacred sites, or return artefacts and bones to their country. He learnt the ways of the bush, listening to stories, learning about the tradition, bush food and artefact making. This included watching his Graddad make Wagay (sword) at Oakforest, and also sit with his Mother’s people (Djabuguy) and watch them make rainforest-swords, shields, boomerangs, throwing sticks, spears, baskets and much more. Just by looking at his work, you can see why Bernie has such appreciation for his culture and the ways of his forefathers.
I was really drawn to the five creation stories that Bernie had painted, and from our many conversations about Indigenous Art over the years I was able to identify which painting related to its story. It was also really nice to be able to read about the stories in the exhibition whilst looking at Bernie’s traditional interpretation. These creation stories have given me a greater insight into understanding Indigenous Art and also its culture.
I was fortunate enough to be taken on a drive from Cairns for Port Douglas before viewing Bernie’s exhibition. The coastline on this drive is lined with black rocks and Bernie explained to me this creation story, Djirri Damarri-Ngu Bana Burraungany. The creation story is about the coastline of Cairns and surrounding areas when the flat coastal lands were being flooded. The sea grew big and the country was drowning. Damarri came through Cairns to the shoreline and he had many Bama working for him. He made lots of fires to cook the stones to make them very hot. When he placed the stones along the coastline in the seawater they burnt up the ground making the sea small and stopped the flood. Every beach going north has been put there by this man Damarri, as he made the beaches of Cairns.
After hearing this creation story I was able to identify the painting almost instantly. I now understand that the creation stories, or the Dreaming, is vital in understanding Aboriginal art. I also understand and appreciate how important this belief system is to Aboriginal people.
I was also drawn to the bark figures Dambul Gadja. Bernie used Acrylic to paint a figure of a man onto individual pieces of Black Wattle Bark. Above the figures head Bernie glued Cockatoo Feathers to create the look of a headdress. These bark figures were hung by fishing wire from the ceiling to the floor which allowed movement of the pieces when people walked past them. They looked like dancing men, a very effective idea.
Looking at Bernie's artwork at UMI Arts, Cairns
