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Canberra Today 11°/15° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Ainslie and Gorman welcome new resident artist

THE rebranded double-bill act, Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centres, are beefing up their arts residencies.

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Not only have they just finished hosting actor Max Cullen into their residency flat at Gorman House, but this week they are welcoming Cairns visual artist Paul Bong (Bindur Bullin) as the fifth artist in their 2014 Visiting Artist Program.

Bong will stay for a fortnight in the residency flat at Gorman Arts Centre while he develops a new body of work at Megalo Print Studio and builds connections with local artists and arts organisations.

A work by Paul Bong
A work by Paul Bong

Bong’s given tribal name is Bindur Bullin, after a great warrior. A descendent of the Yidinji tribe, his ancestral history is rooted in the region around Cairns, and many of the stories told by his grandmother, who spoke Yidinji, inspire his work.

Bong’s practice incorporates traditional Yidinji designs with modern techniques to create murals, linocuts, batiks and silk dyes. Each unique design holds a spiritual meaning for Paul, who is also an authority on the painting of Yidinyji Warrior Shields.

Bong and warrior shield
Bong and warrior shield

Joseph Falsone, director of the twin arts centres, says “We look forward to seeing the results of Paul’s studio time at Megalo, where he’ll be working with local printmakers. It’s exactly the sort of exchange our Visiting Artist Program aims to foster.”

New Megalo director, Ingeborg Hansen, for her part, says regular Megalo members have just as much to gain and learn from exchange relationships, adding, “Megalo is looking forward to having Paul Bong (Bindur Bullin) bring his own printmaking skills and experience to the studios and we are looking forward to reciprocating.”

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Helen Musa

Helen Musa

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