by Helen "Leni" Morris & Deanne Gilson
Come and hear an intriguing conversation between two local indigenous artists, as Helen Morris interviews Award-winning Indigenous artist Deanne Gilson, exhibiting this year as a part of the Tell collective. Together they will explore the forces and experiences that guide the making of indigenous art, past and present and future!
A Ballarat Arts Foundation event hosted by Ballarat International Foto Biennale.
Deanne Gilson
Deanne Gilson is a proud Wadawurrung woman and award-winning visual artist working primarily in paint, clay, drawing and sculptural installations, and more recently with photographic mediums. Her artwork draws from a spiritual, ancestral connection to Country, place and culture, accompanied by a personal truth acknowledging the lived experiences of the past, present and hopes for the future. Gilson employs an interdisciplinary approach to art-making with the aim to reclaim traditional knowledge by reflecting the colonial gaze back and challenging Western portrayals of Aboriginal people, especially the roles matriarchal women played in keeping her family together throughout the colonisation period. Her artworks are constantly being influenced by the changing social and political environment that brought about loss of family, children, culture, identity, ceremonies and traditional artefact and adornment making, songs, dance and language. She attempts to filter the racism, oppression, discrimination and the need to be able to express the truth and reality of one’s actual lived experience, in a way that is respectful and non-confrontational towards my people.
Helen “Leni” Morris
Helen “Leni” Morris is a Wotjobaluk woman born in Melbourne and adopted into a non-indigenous farming family while raised in the Wimmera. With a wonderfully creative and close family unit made up of many skilled artisans she always enjoyed watching and wondering at the power of imagination and craft. Leni’s work is inspired strongly by her cross-cultural heritage and her constant journey of learning incorporating both past and present. Deeply bonded to her combined history she has matured through many varied experiences both professionally and personally. Inspiration from these opportunities weaves into her work. leni has exhibited her work at Koorie Heritage Trust (Melbourne), Gallery on Sturt (Ballarat), Art Melbourne (Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne), Kirrett Barreet Aboriginal Art Gallery (Ballarat) and the Convent Gallery (Daylesford).
Ballarat Arts Foundation
Since its inception in 2000, the Ballarat Arts Foundation (BAF) has worked in partnership with the community for the purpose of enriching the creative life and cultural future of Ballarat. Our annual awards and grants program gives critical financial support to local artists to help them take the next step in their career. We present performance opportunities, exhibitions, workshops and masterclasses throughout the year, with and for, our alumni and the community to raise funds and share artistic expertise that enlivens our culture and contributes to the growth of a sustainable arts industry in Ballarat.
Please select an entry time
- Artist Talk
September 1, 2017
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm