PARKES ARTIST TO BE SHOWCASED AT WPCC
The Western Plains Cultural Centre (WPCC) proudly presents Parkes-based Wiradjuri artist Ronda Sharpe’s first exhibition in Dubbo titled Interwoven Connections as part of the HomeGround program.
Interwoven Connections is a fibre art exhibition that explores Sharpe’s connections to Wiradjuri culture, country, artefacts and Mother Earth. The exhibition is on display from 4 November to 14 January.
Sharpe’s art incorporates recycled mediums and natural fibres, combined with cultural weaving practices to explore the links between Wiradjuri culture and our current throwaway society.
Interwoven Connections is a body of work that explores Sharpe’s journey of reconnecting and embracing her unspoken and lost Wiradjuri cultural identity, as she reflects on the ongoing role that cultural artefacts play in the survival and resilience of the voices of the Aboriginal community.
“This exhibition has encouraged me to expand my art practice, explore recycled, natural mediums to create a series of contemporary woven sculptured art forms that acknowledges my Wiradjuri culture and provides a visual narrative of the traditional tools used by my ancestors and ‘Yindyamarra’ (respect) for Mother Earth,” artist Ronda Sharpe said.
“My practice focuses on caring for country and exposing our current throwaway society practices by combining the use of repurposed mediums such as data and electrical cables destined to land fill and combining natural elements found on country,” Ms Sharpe said.
“Ronda’s body of work pays homage to cultural and contemporary Wiradjuri practices as she repurposes manmade material into the form of cultural artefacts. Her practice reaffirms the resilience, strength and survival of the First Nations cultural identity,” WPCC Curator Mariam Abboud said.
“The exhibition’s intent is to strength and reiterate Ronda’s own ties, utilising weaving as element to physically and metaphorically reconnect to her own lost cultural identity,” Ms Abboud said.
As part of the exhibition, art lovers will be able to join Ronda Sharpe and curator Mariam Abboud in a conversation about the works. This event will be held at 2pm on Saturday 4 November 2023. To register for the event visit 123tix.
Interwoven Connections is curated by Mariam Abboud and is presented through the HomeGround program. The program supports the continued growth of a professional creative sector through training and professional development, as well as developing opportunities for creative co-working, mentorship and networking and professional development.
The HomeGround program is supported by Orana Arts, and sponsored by Wingewarra Dental.
Last Edited: 09 Jan 2024