Australian indigenous art comes to Nubuke

“We’ve used ‘one road’ to bind the art, people and story of the Western Desert together. We use the Canning Stock Route as the meeting point, as the cross-cultural basis on which to develop an understanding of Aboriginal Country, and the shared history that happened within it,” stated the National Museum of Australia, curators of the exhibition.

 Ghanaian visual artist Isaac Opoku will also present works inspired by ‘Yiwarra Kuju’ and a collaboration with schoolchildren of La-Bawaleshie Presbyterian  Junior High School.

One of  the works Opoku has created is called ‘Akwantuo,’ which translates as “The Voyage” in English. It essentially deals with man’s interaction with the natural and spiritual realms.

The piece draws on a combination of a variety of Aboriginal symbols to tell a story of man’s journey through life, death and the afterlife.

Another Opoku piece,  ‘Denkyem Asa,’ which translates as ‘Crocodile’s Dance,’ talks about change and transition.

It communicates the idea that Opoku had to necessarily adapt his thinking and  approach to creating art in order to fully absorb and understand the meanings and aesthetics of Australian Aboriginal art.

 According to the Australian Acting High Commissioner, Tim Millikan,  “visitors, regardless of their levels of understanding of Australian history, Aboriginal art or Aboriginal culture, can expect to be enchanted and learn from this exhibition.”