Australian Artists Celebrate Indigenous Culture and Achievement

The Australian Embassy will celebrate contemporary Australian Indigenous culture from 3-5 July 2011 and welcome to Indonesia prominent young street artist Reko Rennie and award-winning didgeridoo player Lucas Proudfoot.

These two Indigenous Australian artists will make their first visit to Indonesia to share stories about the positive contribution of Indigenous culture to Australia's modern identity.

Through striking visual art and stirring musical performances, Reko Rennie and Lucas Proudfoot will give Indonesian audiences a taste of modern Indigenous Australian culture.

The Australian Embassy will present collaborative work by Reko Rennie and renowned Jakarta street artist Bujangan Urban at Kommunitas Salihara on 5 July.
This will be accompanied by a didgeridoo performance by Lucas Proudfoot and a photographic exhibition by leading Australian Aboriginal photographic artist, Wayne Quilliam.

The Australian Embassy will also host interactive music and cultural workshops for schoolchildren with Lucas Proudfoot and screenings of a short animated film series “The Dreaming Stories”, based on Australian Aboriginal oral histories maintained for over 40,000 years.

“Every year, Australia proudly observes a week-long celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Australia's Indigenous people,” said Australian Ambassador Greg Moriarty.

“Indigenous communities and Australians from all walks of life will fly the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags and hold activities to promote a greater understanding of Australian Indigenous people and their traditional and modern cultures,” Ambassador Moriarty said.

This year celebrates the theme of “Change: the next step is ours” which encourages Indigenous people to shape the changes they want to see in their own communities.

Contact between Australian Indigenous people and Indonesians dates back to the sixteenth century when Makassan traders and fishermen first visited northern Australia.

Media Enquiries:
Sanchi Davis (Cultural Attache) tel. (021) 2550 5260 hp. 0811 936 302