Aboriginal art practice in southeast Australia is dynamic, innovative and powerful. This is clear from the diverse artworks in this book which celebrate contemporary Aboriginal artists and their continuation of Ancestral knowledge. The artworks shown are accompanied by commentary and analysis unpacking complex issues related to First Nations art-making and culture-making. A guiding theme is the creative practice of internationally renowned artist Maree Clarke (Mutti Mutti/ Wamba Wamba/ Yorta Yorta/ Boonwurrung). Maree’s talent for collaborations and passion for reclaiming and reviving arts practices over almost forty years has seen her recognised as a leading southeast Australian artist, with invitations to work in France, Italy, Japan, Cuba, UK, Canada and the USA. ngargee is a collection of intercultural partnerships that prioritise learning with and about First Nations artists to support Indigenous knowledge systems. These engagements take us from possum skin cloak-making in modern-day Melbourne, to 19th century German paintings, to sharing the knowledge and art of feather flower-making revivified in Maree’s backyard. Each chapter showcases southeast Australian contemporary Aboriginal creatives with international and Australian co-producers. ngargee presents a model of intercultural collaboration led by Aboriginal artists and knowledge holders. Southeast Australian Aboriginal art here receives the attention and celebration it so richly deserves. This vibrant and multivocal collection is an indispensable resource for all Australian museums and galleries, and anyone who wants to learn more about contemporary First Nations art. ngargee means coming together to celebrate in Boonwurrung language, where celebrations are accompanied and demonstrated through the act of making art. Just as art and culture cannot be separated, neither can celebration and art-making.
