Ripple Effect: Boomalli Founding Members
Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative is celebrating its 25th year. To mark this very special occasion members and volunteers, led by Bronwyn Bancroft, have organised a survey show including works by founding members Euphemia Bostock, Fiona Foley, Brenda Croft, Jeffrey Samuels, Michael Riley, Avril Quail, Tracey Moffat and Bronwyn Bancroft. This show is a wonderful tribute to the determination and creative inspiration of this group of Aboriginals artists who fought hard to get this gallery off the ground in 1987 in the spirit of “black power” and “self-determination”, and to keep it going as a commercial enterprise.
The word “boomalli”, derived from three NSW Aboriginal language groups, means “to strike” or “to make a mark”. One of the primary aims of Boomalli has been to re-address some of the social inequities experienced historically by indigenous artists and provide an authentic and strong cultural voice within a contemporary Australian context. This has been achieved by allowing artists to take direct curatorial control of their individual exhibitions as well as devising their own marketing and sales strategies, thereby reclaiming processes which have been traditionally controlled by non- indigenous stakeholders.
This innovative gallery model has nourished and encouraged a broad variety of creative work and today provides continuous support for Aboriginal artists of NSW, especially younger members. Boomalli is it one of the longest running Aboriginal owned and operated art galleries in Australia.
Catherine Hickson, Assistant Curator
More info:
November 23 – January 20 – Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative
55-59 Flood Street, Leichhardt