Canberra, Thursday 6 December 2001
Ngaraka: Shrine for the Unknown Koori
The Australian National University's International Sculpture Park on the
foreshores of Lake Burley Griffin will see a significant new addition
this week.
ACT Minister for the Arts, Mr Bill Wood, will launch Ngaraka: Shrine
for the Unknown Koori, by Djon Mundine and Fiona Foley, at a special ceremony
on Friday 7 December at 5pm.
Speaking of the work, artist Djon Mundine said, "From the time of
first contact, the remains of at least 10,000 Aboriginal people were removed
from graves to be exported to Europe and America.
"It's only recently that some of these have been returned to their
communities, and it is a major research project to reconnect them with
their families.
"At least twenty per cent of the remains that have been returned
cannot be identified by region or name, and it's for these 'unknown lost
Kooris' that the shrine has been constructed."
The site-specific work consists of a traditional fork stick burial platform
with a bundle of kangaroo bones wrapped and bound in paperbark sheets
representing the body of the unknown Aboriginal person. The ground around
the sculpture is surrounded with approximately 5 tonnes of kangaroo bones.
Ngaraka: Shrine for the Unknown Koori is the third sculpture to be installed
in the ANU International Sculpture Park opened earlier this year. The
Park is located on the lakeside area adjacent to the new National Museum
of Australia.
Photo opportunities and interviews with Djon Mundine and Nigel
Lendon, Deputy Director of the School of Art are available prior to the
launch by contacting Vivienne O'Connell on 6125 5704 or 0414 410 225.
100/2001
© 2000 Marketing & Communications Division,
The Australian National University.
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Last Modified Tue, July 16, 2002
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