Berndt Museum of Anthropology
Koorah Coolingah (Children Long Ago)
This exhibition, which comprised two elements, opened firstly at the Katanning Arts Centre on 24 February 2006; a second component opened on 27 February at the Western Australian Museum . Both closed on 12 March 2006.
The exhibition comprises two exhibitions , one at the Western Australian Museum of fifty works drawn from the Museumâs extensive collection of Nyungar South-West art ; the other comprising twenty works from the collection held by the Picker Art Gallery at Colgate University, Hamilton, New York State..
The exhibition comprises two exhibitions , one at the Western Australian Museum of fifty works drawn from the Museumâs extensive collection of Nyungar South-West art ; the other comprising twenty works from the collection held by the Picker Art Gallery at Colgate University, Hamilton, New York State..
Carrolup Native Settlement, now known as Marribank, is situated fifteen kilometres out of Katanning Western Australia. In 1940, the Settlement was opened by the Native Welfare Department, in order to provide standard education and training for Aboriginal children in accordance with the aims of the assimilation policies of the time. As such, Carrolup became home to many Aboriginal children who had been removed from their families.
In the eleven years while the settlement was in operation, many of the children staying there produced highly sophisticated artworks. Children aged between five years and fourteen years created intricate and unusual designs and stunning landscapes that astounded the art community. Encouraged by their teacher and Principal Noel White, the students would wander through the local bush and make sketches of what they saw later recreating them in the classroom. Without any formal instruction, the work produced was highly distinctive in colour, form and movement.
The work was so unique that several collections were exhibited throughout the world receiving prestigious media coverage during the late 1940âs and early 1950âs. These tours were organised by Florence Rutter who had first seen the childrenâs drawings exhibited in Perth 1949. Through Mrs Rutter, the paintings were shown to over eight major capital cities in Australia and New Zealand with exhibitions held in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. In 1951, the settlement closed down and officially handed over its assets to the Baptist Union, to become the Marribank Farm School.
The importance of the Carrolup collection reaches far beyond its artistic worth. Though beautiful in theyâre own right, they are also recognised as something quite unique to Nyungar art. The style continues to thrive and inspire other Nyungar artists, while exposing its audiences to an important piece of Western Australiaâs history. The twin Koorah Coolingah: children long ago exhibitions, one from the Picker Art Gallery, which includes 20 pieces from their collection that had been âlostâ from Australia for over forty years, and the other from the Berndt, showcase many works from the Carrolup artists. These beautiful works are complimented by art from contemporary Nyungar artists illustrating the strength and flexibility of the âNyungar landscapeâ style.
In the eleven years while the settlement was in operation, many of the children staying there produced highly sophisticated artworks. Children aged between five years and fourteen years created intricate and unusual designs and stunning landscapes that astounded the art community. Encouraged by their teacher and Principal Noel White, the students would wander through the local bush and make sketches of what they saw later recreating them in the classroom. Without any formal instruction, the work produced was highly distinctive in colour, form and movement.
The work was so unique that several collections were exhibited throughout the world receiving prestigious media coverage during the late 1940âs and early 1950âs. These tours were organised by Florence Rutter who had first seen the childrenâs drawings exhibited in Perth 1949. Through Mrs Rutter, the paintings were shown to over eight major capital cities in Australia and New Zealand with exhibitions held in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. In 1951, the settlement closed down and officially handed over its assets to the Baptist Union, to become the Marribank Farm School.
The importance of the Carrolup collection reaches far beyond its artistic worth. Though beautiful in theyâre own right, they are also recognised as something quite unique to Nyungar art. The style continues to thrive and inspire other Nyungar artists, while exposing its audiences to an important piece of Western Australiaâs history. The twin Koorah Coolingah: children long ago exhibitions, one from the Picker Art Gallery, which includes 20 pieces from their collection that had been âlostâ from Australia for over forty years, and the other from the Berndt, showcase many works from the Carrolup artists. These beautiful works are complimented by art from contemporary Nyungar artists illustrating the strength and flexibility of the âNyungar landscapeâ style.
These two exhibitions, held simultaneously in Katanning and Perth, mark yet another chapter in this story of recognition, renewal, and respect. What started under the tuition of Noel White as childrenâs art at Carrolup in the late 1940s, and gained international popularity through the efforts of Florence Rutter in the early 1950s (only then to be forgotten for the next 40 years) has now come back to the national, indeed international, stage.
It has been the privilege of our Museum, and its staff (including myself), to be so closely involved in the promotion of the Carrolup childrenâs art over the past 21 years. What started as a potential Australian Bicentennial Authority community project to create a local Cultural Centre at Carrolup developed its own momentum, which is still unfolding. A dramatised documentary film Show us a light was followed by our exhibition Nyungar Landscapes in 1992, which travelled nationally with Art on the Move for over six years. The continuing influence of the Carrolup children on contemporary Nyungar artists was revisited by Sandra Hill in her exhibition Aboriginal artists of the South-West: past and present in 2000.
My earlier attempts to locate the âmissingâ collection, sold by Florence Rutter to an American collector at the end of the European exhibition tour, were fruitless. As Museum staff Tracie Pushman and Robyn Smith Walley write in the catalogue for this exhibition, the fortuitous recognition of these works by Howard Morphy has presented both the Picker Art Gallery at Colgate University, and the Berndt Museum, with a wonderful opportunity to showcase a selection of these works at the Festival of Perth this year, which is themed Noongar Boodja, Nyungar country. The twinned exhibitions highlight the twinned nature of these two collections, which complement each other uniquely.
The discovery of the âlostâ collection at the Picker Gallery, Colgate University is another step of the Carrolup story. This catalogue details some of the artists, and reflects on some of their stories. Where will they all lead? What stories and art works will come to the succeeding generation, and those who are to come?
John E. Stanton
It has been the privilege of our Museum, and its staff (including myself), to be so closely involved in the promotion of the Carrolup childrenâs art over the past 21 years. What started as a potential Australian Bicentennial Authority community project to create a local Cultural Centre at Carrolup developed its own momentum, which is still unfolding. A dramatised documentary film Show us a light was followed by our exhibition Nyungar Landscapes in 1992, which travelled nationally with Art on the Move for over six years. The continuing influence of the Carrolup children on contemporary Nyungar artists was revisited by Sandra Hill in her exhibition Aboriginal artists of the South-West: past and present in 2000.
My earlier attempts to locate the âmissingâ collection, sold by Florence Rutter to an American collector at the end of the European exhibition tour, were fruitless. As Museum staff Tracie Pushman and Robyn Smith Walley write in the catalogue for this exhibition, the fortuitous recognition of these works by Howard Morphy has presented both the Picker Art Gallery at Colgate University, and the Berndt Museum, with a wonderful opportunity to showcase a selection of these works at the Festival of Perth this year, which is themed Noongar Boodja, Nyungar country. The twinned exhibitions highlight the twinned nature of these two collections, which complement each other uniquely.
The discovery of the âlostâ collection at the Picker Gallery, Colgate University is another step of the Carrolup story. This catalogue details some of the artists, and reflects on some of their stories. Where will they all lead? What stories and art works will come to the succeeding generation, and those who are to come?
John E. Stanton
