Saturday was a proud day for Aboriginal artist Lesley Salem, with the opening of her first major solo exhibition at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ngani Barray (This Country) showcases Salem’s map paintings, which chart the journeys she undertakes in her work as a rural and remote nurse in regional communities in NSW.
Salem was predominantly trained by her father, the late Wonnarua elder and artist Les Elvin, whose passion and priority was to keep the language of Aboriginal symbolism alive.
Elvin’s knowledge of Wonnarua and east coast Aboriginal symbolism and language was transferred to Salem and is integral to her visual arts practice.
Salem’s paintings merge images of satellite maps that prioritise roads as pathways to destinations, with a traditional Aboriginal approach to map-making that highlights topography and seasonal flora and fauna as a guide to traversing country.
“The distances travelled can be vast and at rest stops I take the time to record the colours and seasonal imagery of the topography that surrounds me,” she said.
“As source material for creating the paintings I use my notebooks that record the landscape as seen from the ground, and for accuracy of the maps as well as additional inspiration for colour, I use Google Maps and Google Earth.
“Portraying the grandeur of the landscape, from an aerial perspective, captures the expanse and allows me to depict the topography of the land in all its vivid colours.
“Through the addition of symbolism and language I am able to embed further information into the map paintings.”
To accompany the exhibition, Salem has created a beautifully illustrated book exploring Aboriginal symbolism.
The Symbolism, Iconography and Language of Eastern NSW Aboriginal Art is available for children attending the gallery’s school holiday workshop program, and for purchase in the gallery gift shop.
Salem will hold an artist’s talk at the gallery on Thursday, July 13 at 5.30pm.
Ngani Barray (This Country) runs at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery until August 13, in conjunction with CatholicCare’s Indigenous Art and Culture exhibition. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.
Call the gallery on 4991 6619 or email info@crag.net.au for inquiries.
