The word ‘held’ does a lot of quiet work. It speaks to tenderness and strength in equal measure – the weight of a child, the heft of knowledge passed down through generations, the feel of a paintbrush or a handful of fibre between the hands. For this year’s SALA festival, The Mill has gathered three First Nations women around exactly that idea.
Joeulla Coulthard is an Adnyamathanha, Kuyani artist who grew up in the northern Flinders Ranges. Her paintings and ceramics are rooted in the landforms of that country – the seasons, the cultural stories of Yarta, the sense that art and conversation are inseparable. For Joeulla, making work keeps culture alive; talking about what it means and why it was made is as much a part of the practice as the making itself.
Juanella Donovan is an Adnyamathanha, Luritja and Arrernte woman based in Port Augusta, and her medium alone is worth the visit: intricate works woven from emu feathers, painstaking in their construction and striking in the result. She’s a finalist in two major prizes this year and is currently developing work for the National Textile Triennial, which opens in Tamworth in September.
Lisa Khan is a Yankunytjatjara, Antakirinja and Pitjantjatjara artist from Coober Pedy. She paints her grandparents’ country – ngura, the land and rockholes – as an act of care. “When I paint, I feel connected to my country and my grandparents who aren’t here anymore,” she says. “It is my job to look after the country and the stories from my grandmothers.”
Held runs until September 4 at The Mill, Adelaide. Artist talk and finissage Friday 4 September, doors 4:30pm, talk at 5:30pm.
events.humanitix.com/exhibition-opening-held
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