Wintaru – Hear the Elements Talk at BCS

A new exhibition exploring the elements and our relationship to the land is opening at the Belconnen Community Centre this Friday.

A collaborative, mixed media exhibition by Warlpiri artist Wanta Jampijinpa, Canberra artist, Lee Anne Proberts and students from the ANU School of Music

Supported by Belconnen Community Service’s Reconciliation Action Plan
May 24-June 7, Monday-Friday, 9am – 4:30pm
Belconnen Community Centre, Swanson Court Belconnen

Sand painting demonstration and storytelling, 10am-4pm, Wednesday May 29
Exhibition opening celebration, Wednesday May 29, 6pm, all welcome.

“We say the best way to listen to the earth speak is to really look at how the body language is used by the elements. …once upon a time all of us were connected but, yes, some of us have stayed connected and others have decided to walk away from that understanding.”
Wanta Jampajimpa

Wanta Jampijinpa is a Warlpiri elder from Lajamanu in the Tanami Desert, Northern Territory. An artist, educator, philosopher and academic, he will share his people’s stories in a mixed media exhibition to celebrate Reconciliation Week in gallery@bcs. Lee Anne Proberts is a Canberra Based photographer and visual artist who is Wanta’s research assistant for an Australian Research Council project currently in progress at the Australian National University.

Jampijinpa describes his work in Canberra as, “Teaching Australia. Teaching this country and its people about their birth right…We’re here to live together. We’ve all got one home… To me, skin name, law, language, land and ceremonies they’re all important. ”

The exhibition includes paintings by Wanta Jampijinpa, Lee Anne Proberts and students from the ANU School of Music alongside photos by Proberts. While the exhibition is in progress, the artists will construct a sand painting in the gallery that will include some sands from the Tanami desert, the country of the Warlpiri people.

[Photo of Wanta Jampajimpa by Leeanne Proberts]