Binocular: looking closely at Country

The works in Binocular: looking closely at Country, dating from the early 1990s to the present, can be considered both as contemporary abstract artworks in a Western sense and as deeply spiritual creations within their Aboriginal context. The paintings are based on traditional site-specific rituals, ceremonies and locations, infused with a profound sense of spirituality and Country. Revealing a visual link to the Op Art movement in Western art, which used illusions of visual perception to render an impression of three-dimensional space that appears to move or vibrate, these works represent the remarkable breadth of an optically stimulating practice by Aboriginal artists whose creative origins lie in traditional art and design.

The spiritual importance of these works, and their representation of site-specific Country to Indigenous Australians, is paramount in their creation and meaning. Some works have a hidden spirit or energy force moving just out of view, appearing as a fleeting vision or moving picture within the flatness of the two dimensional canvas. To experience this presence within the work requires contemplation, in order that the viewer can feel the underlying spiritual force embedded within.

The exhibition comprises approximately 70 works of art in traditional and non-traditional media, including acrylic on canvas, and ochres on bark and hollow log memorial poles. Central to the exhibition is the inclusion of young and emerging artists alongside their more senior counterparts, from communities whose work has never before been contextualised within the broader movement of optically stimulating contemporary abstract painting. This genre appears to be developing most rapidly in central Australia, although work from north-east Arnhem Land is also included in the exhibition. The artists represented originate from Kintore, Kiwikurra, Utopia, Balgo, Alice Springs and Yirrkala. An additional aim is to exhibit works seldom seen by the general public and to this end works of art have been sourced primarily from private collections.

Our objectives are to exhibit some of the best contemporary art in Australia, to promote the accessibility of contemporary Aboriginal art to wider audiences and stimulate new approaches to the debates surrounding traditional and contemporary Aboriginal art. This exhibition documents a representative group of artists whose work reflects this dazzling art movement, promoting a significant overview of the genre.

For further information, please contact Ivan Dougherty Gallery.