In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
We’ve recently invested in some more First Nations’ art, and it’s exciting to see these pieces coming together. Filling our offices with First Nations art is a way to promote understanding of First nations culture and connect our staff with the rich histories that these artworks depict.
The first piece is by Damien Marks Jangala and Yilpi Marks Atira. This artwork is titled “My Country”, and it comes from the Luritja language group. Damien was taught to paint Dreamtime stories by acclaimed artists Uta Uta, Billy Stockman and Clifford Possum. Yilpi’s grandparents taught her Dreamtime stories, and her parents Tjulkiwa Atira-Atira and Nyukana Baker have both had artworks featured in the State Gallery of South Australia.
The second piece is by Peter Mbitjana Palmer. Peter is an Eastern and Central Arrente man who was born at the Santa Teresa Mission. He generally paints dreamings from the Arlpme or Napipa country. This piece is titled “North Eastern Caterpillar Dreaming (Yeperenye)”.
A big thank you to Kate Owens Gallery for connecting us with these artists and works.
Sourcing First Nations art is a key aspect of our RAP commitment to increasing the understanding of First Nations People culture. We’ve invested more than $20,000 in First Nations art over the past three years, and we’re committed to increasing this amount as we increase our understanding of the stories of First Nations Australians and the impact they have had on Australia.
View our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) here
