“Connection: Land, Water, Sky – Art & Music from Indigenous Australians” is now open in The Lume at Newfields.
The multi-sensory digital exhibition opened to the public on May 10 and celebrates the music, art and storytelling of indigenous Australians — the world’s oldest continuous civilization, according to Indianapolis Museum of Art Director Belinda Tate. “Connection” aims to showcase the deep cultural heritage and tradition of artmaking through displays of more than 500 paintings, stories and photographs across more than 100 contemporary Indigenous Australian artists.
“‘Connection’ explores the concept of Country, revealing the deep ties between land, water and sky and … shared responsibility,” Tate said. “Through storytelling, contemporary art and music, this experience centers the beauty that surrounds us and our collective role as caretakers of both the small, fragile planet that we share and, more importantly, each other.”
The themes of land, water and sky throughout “Connection” each represent different aspects of Indigenous Australian knowledge systems and environmental stewardship, Tate said. The exhibition represents a global indigeneity movement and is an immersive way for the institution to educate the local community about a diverse culture of art making dating back 65,000 years.
Five pieces of Indigenous Australian art from the museum’s permanent collection, which have not been exhibited in nearly 35 years, will also be on display during “Connection.” The exhibition is further supplemented by Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri’s “Maruwa,” which is on loan to the IMA from the Smith Davidson Gallery in Amsterdam, according to Robin Cooper, Newfields’ manager of curatorial affairs.
“Connection” artist ambassador and consulting curator Kate Constantine said the movement behind First Nations art, not just Aboriginal Australian Art, offers a unique way for everyone to enter a “conversation that they would otherwise not have.”
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Constantine is a Gadigal woman of the Eora nation and is a caretaker for her people. She specializes as a neo-contemporary fine artist, working under the name Konstantina to create murals and digital art.
“What I have learned traveling internationally with my art is that it doesn’t matter what language you speak, people understand your visual language,” Constantine said. “This is the one thing that connects all of us, regardless of our race, regardless of our language, regardless of our social status, we can all visually storytell from a really authentic way, and that’s something that Aboriginal Australian culture has been doing since time immemorial.”
Constantine also illustrates children’s books and leads workshops about First Nations culture in schools in Australia. Her work in curating “Connection” includes a kid-friendly space with interactive activities, including a digital projection mural and coloring pages she designed.
The coloring sheets feature animals native to Australia, like the platypus, kangaroo and kookaburra. After completing the coloring sheets, kids can scan their design into the mural and watch it come to life.
“Our culture is very much based on giving and receiving,” Constantine said. “I think that this is my gift to this community, to provide just one Aboriginal voice to give you an editorial of some of the things that you see, so that you have context and then it’s understandable.”
Showcasing this work in The Lume also has its advantages. Not only are guests exposed to various art mediums through the music, digital projections and physical pieces from IMA’s permanent collection, but Constantine said they are invited to walk through and see the stories of hundreds of nationalities in one venue.
“To get us all in a room and show would be impossible,” Constantine said. “Some of these artists are deceased as well, so even contacting their family trusts or their communities to access those works to make sure that they’re included, it’s just not possible in any other format.”
Most of the artwork and depictions of Country are typically topographical maps, Constantine added. Even with the sheer size and capabilities of The Lume, these works are already scaled down to represent “those same sacred and special places.
“It’s like a really easy entry into Aboriginal art,” Constantine said. “It’s not stuffy, it’s easy to follow; it’s quick. It has pace and has music, and it doesn’t make you feel like you should know more. This is enough to get you started on your journey.”
While exploring “Connection,” guests can stop at Cafe Ngura for refreshments. The menu, curated by Newfields’ executive chef, Patrick Russ, features selections made from native Australian ingredients and Bush spices — such as lemon myrtle and wattleseed tea cookies, macadamia power bars, beetroot and ironbar honey salad and Bush lime mango chutney sausage rolls.
“Connection: Land, Water, Sky — Art & Music from Indigenous Australians” is now on view in The Lume at Newfields, 4000 N. Michigan Road. Tickets to The Lume are $21.99-$30.99 for adults and free for children under 5. The Lume is not included in general admission; however, a ticket to The Lume includes access to the Newfields grounds. For more information, visit discovernewfields.org/lume
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe graduated with a degree in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and her previous work includes freelancing for Indy Maven, Assistant Arts & Life Editor for The Lantern, and editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Chloe enjoys covering all things arts and culture — from local music, visual art, dance, theater and film, as well as minority-owned businesses. In her free time, Chloe enjoys reading, cooking and keeping her plants alive.
