Forever Memory
forever: without ever ending; eternally, to last forever; memory: the mental impression retained; a recollection; the length of time over which recollection extends.
Embedded in every landscape is evidence of human occupation. The intimate knowledge of and deep connection to Country, built up over 50,000 years and passed down through countless generations, is central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity.
Collectively, we have endured so much, yet we have actively and subversively continued to defy the odds, still fighting for recognition, self-determination and our sovereign rights as the first peoples of this country. Our cultural and contact histories play powerful parts in all our lives and, in many ways, inform who we are, where we come from and where we are going. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, knowing our history has never been more important than now.
Together, the artists in the exhibition revive, revitalise and share their cultural and historical knowledge and memories. Throughout Australia’s history there have been multiple points of connection, of shared experiences (some good, some bad), but it is our defiance and resolve, like our Ancestors past, that will determine who we are while we maintain a strong presence today and for future generations.
Yvonne Koolmatrie Sister baskets 2015. Courtesy of the Art Gallery of South Australia
