14 June 2007
RTA supports indigenous art
Rio Tinto Aluminium (RTA) has presented a significant limited edition portfolio of Indigenous art to the Queensland Art Gallery as part of its support and recognition of Indigenous art. The portfolio is one of an edition of 50 featuring art works from 10 Indigenous artists from around Australia.
RTA was delighted to partner with the Queensland Art Gallery's Gallery of Modern Art earlier this week to showcase the portfolio, titled Duyfken. The prints were commissioned by the Royal Netherlands Embassy to commemorate 400 years of Dutch contact with Australia.
RTA Chief Executive, Oscar Groeneveld said the company has a long history of working with communities in Cape York and this portfolio further supports RTA's commitment to preserving the region's cultural heritage.
"The portfolio has provided us with a unique opportunity to directly support art making communities in Weipa and the Western Cape where our bauxite mining operations are based," Mr Groeneveld said.
"We are pleased that one of the portfolios now has a permanent home at the Queensland Art Gallery and is available for the wider community to enjoy," he said.
In July last year the Royal Netherlands Embassy, in collaboration with the Australian Print Workshop in Melbourne and the project's four major sponsors, Rio Tinto Aluminium, Rabobank, Forbo Flooring Systems and Wesfarmers identified a unique way to include Aboriginal
communities and artists in the celebrations.
Ten of Australia's most talented Aboriginal artists from areas that encountered Dutch explorers 400 years ago took part in a week-long workshop at the Australian Print Workshop to produce a portfolio of artworks themed 'First Encounters'. Two of these artists, Garry Namponan and Leonie Pootchemunka, were from the Cape York region. Profits from the sale of the Duyfken portfolios are being directed back into the artists' communities.
Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Captain Kasper Kuiper said the sponsorship of this highly successful project provided an opportunity for Aboriginal artists to step onto the world stage.
"The artists have been able to develop ideas in a creative environment and raise their own profiles on a national level. They will be given the opportunity to make a difference to their communities and potentially to the recognition of Aboriginal art overseas," Captain Kuiper said.
RTA has worked closely with the Queensland Art Gallery in showcasing and promoting Indigenous Australian art from the Cape York region through its sponsorship of the Story Place exhibition in 2003 - Australia's first major exhibition of Cape York art.
The company also sponsored the Gallery of Modern Art's Indigenous art exhibition recently.