“I’m often shooting technological structures against the blue sky. There is always the involvement of a native bird that carries our stories and family connections, connecting and interacting to the built environment.” - Kent Morris.
Barkindji man Kent Morris has more than 20 years experience as an artist and building connections within the Indigenous Australian arts and culture industry.
He’s been shortlisted, for a 4th consecutive year, as a finalist in the 2019 Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA).
Run in conjuction with the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), NATSIAA's are Australia’s longest running and most prestigious Indigenous art awards.
This year, 280 First Nations artists from regional and urban areas across Australia entered the contest. Only 68 of them made the finalists' list including Kent Morris who is one of only two Victorians shortlisted.
Previously Kent Morris submitted large scale, visually striking works. This year his piece also shines by its reflection of his family’s strong connections to Country.
He says that through his art, and using technology, he tries to keep old family stories alive, contemporary and fresh.
“I try to capture moments and try to represent them in areas and in a way that you normally wouldn’t see them,” Kent Morris said in our conversation.
“I’m often shooting technological structures against the blue sky. There is always the involvement of a native bird that carries our stories and family connections, connecting and interacting to the built environment.”
All 68 finalists' artworks will be exhibied at the MAGNT, in Darwin, from the 10th of August till late November when the 2019 winners will be announced.
Recently Kent Morris was also spent several weeks in the United States as an artist in residence at the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal art Museum in the United States - the only Museum outside Australia entirely dedicated to Indigenous Australian Art.
While in residence at the Kluge-Ruhe museum a selection of Kent Morris's artwork was on display as part of his Unvanished exhibition.
While in the US, Kent Morris promoted Aboriginal art. He also studied Native American art and culture; lessons he brought back to Australia.
