Nomad Two Worlds
NOMAD TWO WORLDS in Australia. Proudly presented by V Australia. Beginning with a joint "Welcome to Country" ceremony with Nomad project participants and supporters, The Black Eyed Peas, NOMAD TWO WORLDS kicked off its Australian activities in the Virgin Lounge at Sydney airport on September 28, 2009.
Created by photographer Russell James, with Indigenous Australian artist Clifton Bieundurry and others, the collaborative art project is a stunning example of reconciliation and true cultural collaboration in action, inspired by the Australian reconciliation movement (initiated by Australian Prime Minister kevin Rudd's apology speech in February 2008) between its modern western culture that settled there some two hundred years ago and its Aboriginal people, the world's oldest surviving culture.
The project has involved years of groundwork, including travel to remote regions of North Western Australia. In the spirit of reconciliation, senior Indigenous custodians provided access to sites of great cultural significance to the aboriginal people. Burial grounds, gorges, stunning coastlines and desert locations-often restricted and secret-were allowed to be photographed and filmed by Mr. James. The photographs were then reproduced to become oversized canvases for indigenous artists such as Clifton Bieundurry who then painted ‘story’ into the images; legends and concepts that relate directly to the image on the photographic canvas. The result, an unprecedented artistic collaboration of hand embellished art photographs that form the heart of Nomad Two Worlds installation. Three short films by Mr. James also provide a glimpse of his broader Nomad Two Worlds project thematic: INNOCENCE, INHIBITION and DISCOVERY as the three stages of cultural collision are explored: the past, the present and potential future outcomes through meaningful reconciliation.
A number of extraordinary people are involved in the project including Hugh and Deborra-Lee Jackman, who hosted the exhibition's star-studded opening night festivities in january in NYC, Baz Lurhman, Donna Karan and Grammy award winning artist willi.iam and the rest of the Black Eyed Peas.
Lisa Fox and Heloise Waislitz will be hosting the Nomad Two Worlds Exhibit Preview event in Melbourne Australia on October 8, 2009. Public viewing and an educational speaker day will follow at the Metro Gallery in Armdale VIC on October 11 and 12, with kids educational activities being hosted by Indigenous organization Koorie Heritage Trust at their community center on October 10 and 11.
SPONSORS AND FRIENDS OF NOMAD IN AUSTRALIA INCLUDE: The Fox Family, The Pratt Foundation, Mal James, Deborra-Lee and Hugh Jackman, will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas, Donna Karan, Urban Zen Foundation, Koorie Heritage Trust, Prof. Fiona Stanley and the Institute For Child Health Research, The Government of Western Australia, the Department of Reconciliation and Repatriation, Reconciliation Australia, The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation, Balance Water, and the Metro gallery.
Michael Jurkovac/Sheri Howell and the cYclops NYC team, Ali Franco, Paul Boon and Denice Shilinglaw, Donna Bieundurry, Preya McMahon / Louise Imeson / Broc Munro and the Zing PR team, Justin Woo / Woo Studios, Gerard Vaughan and the NGV, Megan Keep, Palma Driscoll, Adam Franzino, Fiona Gosschalk, Tim O'Connor, Bianca Osadczuk, Jason Mullen, Peter Perfrement, Peter Bauld, Trevor Owsley, Ella Wright, Iain Reed, music producer Mark Vieha, Bruce Ashley and Company X.
We would also like to thank Sony/BMG and Sony Music Publishing Australia and Midnight Oil for the loan of "Beds Are Burning" by Midnight Oil.
WARNING REGARDING THE CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE:
Nomad Two Worlds acknowledges and respects the tradition and importance of warning the viewer/visitor of the inclusion of any words, terms or materials that may be culturally sensitive to members of the Indigenous community. Please be warned that our website may contain:
LANGUAGE that may be culturally sensitive, including words and descriptions which might not normally be used in certain public or community situations, and might be in any way deemed inappropriate, and
IMAGES OF DECEASED INDIGENOUS PERSONS in photographs and film, and their voices in audio recordings, and we deeply apologize for any sadness or distress that any use of, or naming of, these individuals may cause to any of our viewers/visitors, or offense they may cause against any deeply held Indigenous prohibitions.
