By Sahar Foladi
The WILIAM BIIK exhibition of TarraWarra Museum of Art had its opening in the Greater Dandenong Walker Street Gallery on Saturday 29 July.
The TarraWarra Museum of Art exhibition touring with NETS Victoria, is curated by Stacie Piper.
WILIAM BIIK meaning Home Country in Woiwurrung language of the Wurundjeri people, explores Country through the eyes of First Nations people.
Among the ten First Nations artists from South East Australia is Paola Balla, a contemporary Wemba Wemba and Gundjitmara artist.
“I was very honoured to be invited to be in this show by the curator Stacey piper because WILAM BIIK is about embracing country, knowing country, how you know it and look after it, so I was very inspired by that theme.
“My art is very important to me, it’s a way of seeing the world, responding to it, making culture instead of talking about culture that we lost because it wasn’t lost, a lot of it was deliberately destroyed by colonisers,” Ms Balla said.
“It’s about reclaiming and remaking culture.”
The exhibition is personal to the artist in many ways, but her grandmother is the main reason.
“My grandmother was my first inspiration as an artist that’s really the beginning of it that’s why I’m very proud of this exhibition because it features my grandmothers work and mine across time.
“Sadly, Aboriginal people die much earlier than we should, but her arts live on,” Ms Balla said.
Her work features ‘Kuku Lar’ meaning grandmother’s place/camp and some of the materials are also derived from the Country.
“It’s made with soft fabrics and it’s more about being a memory place and a resting place where you have a respite, and you forget what the time is.
“It’s about memories, feelings and the fabric is hand dyed by me only using bush plant, flowers and even bush medicines from my aunties.”
Her art also includes a painting of her grandmother which is displayed as a background to the art.
“A lot of Indigenous people say the art nostalgic and feels like visiting the old mission sites.
“There’s also the smell of the gum leaves and eucalyptus that comes through the fabric so there’s a sensory experience as well,” she said.
“It’s very immersive because you go inside it you can sit down. Kids like to sit and play in it.”
Due to her personal connection to this artwork, Ms Balla likes to install her own artwork.
“They’ve put up the wallpaper and painting but this part I must do it myself because it’s very personal.
“It’s like I’m sculpting with fabric until it’s done than I walk away and leave it and let them enjoy it.”
The exhibition is open to public till Friday 8 September.
