In a small room beside an indoor basketball court, the digital age is colliding with ancient craftsmanship in the hands of the children of Aurukun. Aurukun’s carved wooden dogs enter digital space, augmented reality with new generation of artists.
This creative fusion is taking the remote town’s iconic wooden dog (Ku) sculptures and giving them life in a new dimension.
Inside the room, several sculptures — Ku and a tree with birds — have been scanned and made into virtual 3D models, which the children then draw on before they are projected into augmented reality.
Seventeen-year-old Jacqueline Kepple was among the young people at Aurukun’s PCYC who were able to use the augmented reality technology to virtually paint the sculptures.
The education program is part of a multi-year collaboration between the Aurukun Wik and Kugu Arts Centre and the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
“This is the cockatoo, this is the galah, and this is a dog, and this is the tree,” Jacqueline said, showing her designs.
She said while she’d seen similar real-life sculptures, it was different seeing them on a tablet.
“I’m just doing it to make it look good,” she said.
The sculptures appearing in the 3D universe are part of the Art Gallery of NSW’s collection, and are displayed at its Yiribana Gallery in Sydney.
Generations of tradition
Traditional artist and Apalech man Lex Namponan is one of six brothers who create the traditional carvings in Aurukun, many of which are sold and exhibited in collections around the world.
He said it was important for young Aurukun people to recognise and connect with the craft.
“Six of us here, we do different kinds of dog, different kinds of body … our dad was a carver, he was a sculptor,” Mr Namponan said.
Mr Namponan says the sculptors feel connected to the Ku, with the town dogs often lazing in the workshop while the men carve.
“When we do a carve a Ku, the dogs come around and sit with us, we talk to them, and they sit down and relax,” he said.
Mr Namponan says he hopes the project will encourage young people to try traditional arts.
“More young people can come around and have a look and start doing camp dogs, so they can travel to the big cities like me,” he said.
NICC = National Indigenous Cultural Centre – works with Walkabout Australia – we give you indigenous products, indigenous music, aboriginal art – news (we are your indigenous home… (IF you want bush tucker food at your next event / if you want indigenous entertainment at your party / expo / conference; if you want an indigenous gift shop / if you want walkabout australia merchandise = contact us… = https://nicc.org.au (AND = https://www.facebook.com/WalkaboutAustralia
IF you want some indigenous food at your event, expo, conference / party = do you want indigenous / aboriginal entertainment at your function – digeridoo, or indigenous dance, aboriginal gift shop OR = we can tailor a solution for your event (for a few hours or a few days / in a regional town of in the major conference centre. What indigenous food, music, fashion, gift shop – what aboriginal theme do you seek?…
