Press and Editorial
OMIE
19 July 2006Annandale Galleries
» View OMIE exhibition
Dynamic. New. Art. This is the work of the Omie women, from the Oro Province in Papua New Guinea at the South end of the Kokoda trail in the shadow of a volcanoe. On barkcloth they paint their designs, the iconography and the stories developed from a long history of ancestral past and ceremonial ritual. The work is in complete harmony with nature: from their canvas of paperbark, to the images of their surroundings, the Omie women attest to their request knowledge and experience. It is art both dazzling to the eye and nurturing to the heart.
What concerns us most at ANNANDALE GALLERIES is not where something comes from but the quality of the work in question. The Omie barkclothes are outstanding in their broad contributions that span not just the art world but our own sensibilities: firstly, the work represents a refreshingly distinctive art that is valuable, but more importantly, inspiring for collectors; it is an exciting asset to galleries and museums here and abroad with works already earmarked for museums; it advances our knowledge and understanding of art history and development and finally, the work of the Omie engages with our objectives here at ANNANDALE and we are, quite simply, passionate about it.
This exhibition at ANNANDALE GALLERIES is the first major showing of the work in Australia and will be opened by Her Excellency MARIE BASHIR, Governor of New South Wales.
Dynamic. New. Art. This is the work of the Omie women, from the Oro Province in Papua New Guinea at the South end of the Kokoda trail in the shadow of a volcanoe. On barkcloth they paint their designs, the iconography and the stories developed from a long history of ancestral past and ceremonial ritual. The work is in complete harmony with nature: from their canvas of paperbark, to the images of their surroundings, the Omie women attest to their request knowledge and experience. It is art both dazzling to the eye and nurturing to the heart.
What concerns us most at ANNANDALE GALLERIES is not where something comes from but the quality of the work in question. The Omie barkclothes are outstanding in their broad contributions that span not just the art world but our own sensibilities: firstly, the work represents a refreshingly distinctive art that is valuable, but more importantly, inspiring for collectors; it is an exciting asset to galleries and museums here and abroad with works already earmarked for museums; it advances our knowledge and understanding of art history and development and finally, the work of the Omie engages with our objectives here at ANNANDALE and we are, quite simply, passionate about it.
This exhibition at ANNANDALE GALLERIES is the first major showing of the work in Australia and will be opened by Her Excellency MARIE BASHIR, Governor of New South Wales.