Ripples in the Pond
Gemma Robins
Ripples in the Pond, an exhibition of Great Southern Aboriginal art, was presented by the Vancouver Arts Centre from 31 May to 2 August 2014. Celebrating the legacy of the Carrolup Style, this exhibition included 35 paintings by ten Noongar artists, selected from 12 local private art collections as well as the City of Albany.
Ripples in the Pond connected with and supported the important Koolark Koort Koorliny (Heart Coming Home) exhibition of The Herbert Mayer Collection of Carrolup Artwork presented by Curtin University and the City of Albany at the Albany Town Hall from 23 May to 29 June.
Curated by Annette Davis, Ripples in the Pond tells the story of how the style of art made famous by the school boy artists at Carrolup Mission has been passed on through generations of Noongar artists, hence the title. The exhibition included paintings by Parnell Dempster, Alan Kelly, Lance Chadd Tjyllungoo, Phillip Hansen, Quinton Colbung, Athol Farmer Moordip, Kelvin Penny, Pauline Farmer, Graham “Swag” Taylor, and Bella Kelly.
Coupled with a strong public program, the exhibition has generated considerable interest in Noongar art, its history, and its importance to the region’s culture. Anecdotal evidence uncovered through the development of Ripples in the Pond suggests that Bella Kelly (whose four sons attended the Carollup School) had an original influence on the Carollup schoolboys’ artistic development.
Untold numbers of works by the prolific artist Bella Kelly appear to exist within private collections and there is clearly an appetite for further recognition, acknowledgement and documentation of her work and her contribution to Western Australian art history.
The exhibition was funded by the City of Albany. Vancouver Arts Centre are supported by the Core Arts Fund which provides operational support to regional arts organisations to deliver an annual program of arts and cultural activities to the community.
Project Name: Annual Arts and Cultural Program 2014-2016
Funding Recipient: Vancouver Arts Centre
Amount Approved: $37,000 per annum
Funding Program: Core Arts Fund Peak category
Region: Great Southern
“To have Noongar culture on display in its home country is a credit to the City of Albany and our community”.
