news | action | information | events | contact | search | news | action | information | events | contact | search |
key indigenous australian issues
| home | news lAboriginal artist to work with World Youth Day16 November 2007 - Independent Catholic News UK - Organisers of World Youth Day 2008 (WYD08) have announced that work by the Aboriginal artist Richard Campbell, will be used on a selection of his artwork on official WYD08 merchandise. Originally from the Gumbaingirr/Dhungutti people, Richard Campbell has created a series of indigenous artworks that reinterpret major Catholic themes and stories. Richard is one of the recent finalists in the prestigious Blake Prize. Richard's Fourteen Stations of the Cross, The Madonna, The Crucifixion and The Resurrection will be used on merchandise for the expected 225,000 registered pilgrims for WYD08. WYD08 will be the largest event Australia has hosted with up to 125,000 overseas pilgrims expected. The international spotlight will be on Sydney for the week of events, held 15 20 July 2008, which also marks the first visit from His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Australia. Richard's art will be one of the ways that indigenous themes will be represented through the WYD08 week. His actual artworks will also be on display in a city venue during the week. Taken away from his family at the age of nine, Richard suffered a tough upbringing, constantly moving from one boys' home to the next. "A Catholic priest once asked me to connect Aboriginal spirituality with bible stories through a painting," Richard said. "When I started to paint, I felt my own spirituality come flooding back and I started to remember the stories of my people. That's when I became aware of the similarity between Aboriginal and Christian stories." In collaboration with his sister, Louise Campbell who provides his inspiration composing the prayers and stories behind the paintings, they hope to convey our common spirituality "We all have a spiritual connection, we're all brothers and sisters, with the animals, the trees, rivers and rocks, we all belong to one big God call it Christ, we call it Birrigun, we are all one in God," he said. From early December, Richard's art will be available for purchase on WYD08's website www.wyd2008.org Source: Independent Catholic News UK
|
its one year on from the Australian Governments controversial intervention into NT Indigenous communities
action Roll back, listen to Indigenous community voices speaking about the intervention |
|
