through their fashion designers, discover the culture of the Aborigines

By presenting the work of artists and creators, the exhibition Piinpi. Contemporary Aboriginal Fashion highlights the strength and diversity of the growing Aboriginal fashion and textile industry.

Created by the Bendigo Art Gallerythe exhibition Torment with en light of unique pieces made by around thirty artists and creators, from urban centers as well as more isolated art centres. Initiated in Australia, this exhibition at the Australian Embassy in Paris until April 19 is doubled with a presentation at BHV Marais until February 27th. These events are part of the programme Australia now France 2021-2022.

For these Indigenous peoples of Australia, knowledge of the land and the seasons holds major cultural significance. Torment is an expression that the Kanichi Thampanyu – First Nations people of the York Peninsula in the Eastern Cape – use to describe the impact of the seasons on the landscape.

The project was conceived by Shonae Hobson, a Kaantju woman from Eastern Cape York. Corn “it’s not really an exhibition”, explains Harriet O’Malley, the cultural attaché of the Australian Embassy in Paris who prefers to speak of a “expression of aboriginal culture. It’s very holistic. Creation is a spiritual act where everything is linked, if you take care of the earth, it will take care of you. Nature is present in the works with this notion of community and generational transmission from the elders to the youngest”.

Although their number may vary from one community to another, exposure revolves around four recognized seasons: the fire season, the rainy season, the flower season and the windy season. At the entrance to the exhibition, two very interesting videos allow you to begin this journey on Australian soil and to understand the importance of nature on creation.

The exhibition – which can be seen from the street – is held on the ground floor of the great hall of the Australian Embassy divided into six spaces. The first features four silhouettes by fashion designer and artist Lyn-Al Young for whom “the act of painting and creating establishes a deep spiritual connection between the creator and the garment”. The four dresses, hand painted with ancestral techniques, refer to Australian culture : thus the green and red one is inspired colors of an emblematic plant of the country, while another – in red, orange and yellow tones – evokes the terrible fires that the country suffered before Covid-19, “together with the cultural practice of managing the earth with fire”says Harriet O’Malley.

The following painting is called Kayman, the season of fire and smoke. Here the white and yellow dresses of Mary Dhapalany, Julie Shaw and Evonne Munuyngu are accessorized with hats and dilly bags (small traditional bags that women used for picking) that celebrate the ancestral practice of weaving fibers.

Then comes the Ngurkitha theme (the rainy season) with the body sculptures of Grace Lillian Lee. This artist, from the largest design school in Melbourne, was trained by her uncle, designer of dance headdresses. “His sculptures are designed to make the woman powerful” explains the cultural attaché.

Alongside, we discover other silhouettes by Trudy Inkamala, Marlene Rubuntja, Roxanne Oliver, Rosabella Ryder, Rhonda Sharpe and Elverina Johnson… These designers use symbols of everyday life on their models – paint body used for ceremonies, the representation of the traditional boomerang… “It is important to tell a story while always keeping in mind the idea of ​​the transmission of knowledge between generations”, insiste Harriet O’Malley.

The Pinga theme (the season of flowers) gives pride of place to screen printing, handmade, nature (red apples from the Australian bush, the fleur-de-lis…) on Peggy’s dresses Griffiths, Delany Griffiths, Anita Churchill, Cathy Ward, Kelly-Anne Drill and Jan Griffiths, Grace Rosendale, Joash Teo, Esmae Bowen and Elise Baglot.

With Piicha Piicha (the season of fresh winds) other silhouettes present the current of recycling: “Aboriginal fashion is a sustainable fashion, everything is handmade – vegetable dyes, screen printing, embroidery, seed and shell necklaces – with the recovery of what comes from the sea, among others. The fishing nets collected by the rangers are woven by the women”, specifies the cultural attaché who shows us another coat by Rodney Carter made of opossum skin, skins of which have been added to this garment over the years.

Finally, the Blak and Deadly streetwear theme corresponds “a bit to the militant black power movement in the United States in the 1970s. Artist Destiny Deacon has used the word black in the 90s as a term of empowerment to proclaim their black identity loud and clear… Blak and Deadly meaning black and proud” highlights Harriet O’Malley showing us, as an example, a jumpsuit by Teagan Cowlishaw made with black and gold sequin cushion remnants with a gold luster print.

The Black and Deadly streetwear theme of the exhibition “Piinpi: contemporary Aboriginal fashion” at the Australian Embassy (CORINNE JEAMMET)

In addition to the exhibition presented at the Australian Embassy, ​​another presentation, Australia colors. A chromatic journey stands at BHV Marais until February 27, 2022. The store windows, rue de Rivoli, host several videos of Leila Jeffreys on the subject Nature is not a place to visit. It is home : through his videos, the artist invites us to see nature as our home, more than just a place to visit. These videos are a true declaration of love to the Australian vegetation, an incentive to discover the wonders of the natural world, to be inspired by it and to preserve it. Inside the store, on the ground floor, a space brings together several Australian brands like Martin Grant, Bond-Eye, Blundstone, Brontibay… while on the 5th floor at the Observatory five creative silhouettes are next to fashion photos.

One of the photos from the exhibition “Piinpi: contemporary Aboriginal fashion” at the BHV Marais Observatory in Paris (CORINNE JEAMMET)

“Piinpi. Contemporary Aboriginal Fashion” until April 19, 2022 at the Australian Embassy. 4, rue Jean-Rey. 75015 Paris. Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free admission on presentation of an identity document.