An art market with authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists is set to mark a decade of celebrating First Nation’s art in Perth this weekend.
The Revealed: WA Aboriginal Art Market will open on Saturday in Fremantle as it celebrates its 10-year history.
The event has featured almost 400 WA Indigenous artists and generated more than $1.4 million in sales over the last decade.
With artwork starting at $50, and 100 per cent of the profit returning to the makers and art centres, it’s a once a year opportunity for West Australians.
Held at the Fremantle Arts Centre, the Aboriginal Art Market is the opener for another new exhibition showcasing more than 80 West Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
The Indigenous artists involved in the exhibition hail from all regions in Western Australia, both regional and remote.
Marin Studio, located in Fitzroy Crossing, in the Kimberley, has the highest number of artists involved in the exhibition, with a total of nine artists taking part.
This arts centre supports female artists, allowing them to create a source of income through their passion for the arts.
The nine female artists collaborated together on one piece titled, “Pulkupulku” meaning blanket in Walmarjarri language.
The women painted, sewed and dyed flour bags.
Once used by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to hold their rations in, flour bags is a representation of the past for many First Nations people.
The women used flour bags to create their artpiece. Source: Marnin Studio
The women also wrote in language, Bunada, Walmarjarri, Wangkahi, Gooniandhi and Kriol.
Marin Studio manager, Caris Pepper, told NITV News the exhibition has given the women a chance to heal.
“We had a conversation about what they mean to each person, they went away and thought about it and what the flower bag means to them and their story. Each artist has come up with an individual word and it’s been stamped on the bag,” Ms Pepper said.
Pulkupulku is constructed with the flour bag sown base cloth and the individual word, a layer of silk stripes is then used which some of the ladies dyed using bush dye, with the stitching which physically ties everything together.
All works in the exhibition are for sale.
The Revealed Exhibition runs from April 6 to May 20 and will present Indigenous art through paintings, prints, carvings, photography, textiles, video and weaving.
