“I am Kate Constantine, a concrete Koori, from the big, bustling urban metropolis, known today as the City of Sydney. I am a proud Gadigal woman, mother, and contemporary artist of the Eora Nation.
These are my stories of Ngura, of Country.
I invite you to enjoy them.”
I am a proud Gadigal woman, mother, and contemporary artist of the Eora Nation.
These are my stories of Ngura, of Country.
I invite you to enjoy them.”
Cooee Art Leven (formerly Coo-ee Art) was established in 1981 and is Australia’s oldest exhibiting First Nations fine art gallery. Our flagship gallery and auction space in Redfern, Sydney,
1981
“Kate’s love and passion for her Culture and her art practice is something that I am personally so very proud of.”
- Uncle Ray Davison (Gadigal Elder)
“Every library or any person with any sort of connection to Sydney needs to have this book” -Professor Jakelin Troy Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research The University of Sydney
To celebrate NAIDOC week, Konstantina will be conducting an Artist talk and workshop
PARLIMENT HOUSE
Parliment House, NSW, 6 Macquarie St, Sydney Gadigal Country, Eora Nation
Today, the Gadigal give you for no expected return, Gadi truth and love. For enquiries and further artwork information
4th July - 1st August 2024
Parliment House, NSW, Gadigal Country, Eora Nation Yagu, Gadigal dulumi, Gadi yuwing ngubadi
FOUNTAIN COURT
Artist Statement
Yagu, Gadigal dulumi, Gadi yuwing ngubadi
Translation: today, the Gadigal give you for no expected return, Gadi truth and love.
As a descendant of the Gadigal, I am passionate about my language, Culture and histories, much of which have been lost, misplaced or manipulated since the dawn of Colonisation. As such, my practise is heavily interconnected with my mob and their oral histories and married with my academic research. My artwork is heavily rooted in both and my artworks are a physical manifestation of these stories and histories, a document in time to reconnect me to my people, and my people - the Gadigal to our rightful Country.
The Gadigal are, and have always been, a good graced mob.
The evidence of this is clear in the way we share our Culture with others, in the way we have welcomed our neighbouring Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal brothers and sisters to our land and resources. We occupy the Country of first Colonial occupation, our numbers have dwindled due to this occupation, introduced illness, scarcity of resource, and outright persecution. We have, and continue to exist.
There is an oft beguiled rhetoric that the Gadigal are no longer; that our stories and Culture occupy only the assuages of history. This is untrue and incorrect.
The Gadigal occupy these walls today with our stories, we are honoured and grateful to have the opportunity to welcome you and invite you to share in our Culture.
This painting invites all 95,714 mobs (families) in NSW that currently identify as Aboriginal into NSW parliament for the very first time in history.
Artist Biography
(Kate Constantine) is a proud Gadigal woman of the Eora nation and a neo-contemporary Indigenous artist. She is re-imagining the traditions of her peoples’ dot painters and providing a modern narrative for all people to better understand a First Nations perspective as part of the fabric of Australia.
As a descendant of the Gadigal, she is passionate about her language, Culture and histories, much of which have been lost, misplaced or manipulated since the dawn of Colonization. As such, her practice is heavily interconnected with her Mob and their oral histories and married with her esteemed academic research.
Her artworks are a physical manifestation of these stories and histories, a document in time to reconnect her people to their Country.
Konstantina is a highly sought after contemporary artist who is represented by galleries in Paris, London, Sydney, Melbourne and Margaret River, where her solo shows have sold out consistently for almost a decade. Her works have been awarded finalist places in over twenty Art Prizes and Awards, and been profiled at international art shows, on TV, used by celebrities and for high profile restaurant and corporate works. Her public artworks are the most recent addition to her practice and have seen her take over shopping centres, parklands and office buildings with her trademark contemporary edge.
Konstantina
1. Konstantina, Gadigal Weave, 2024, oil paint on Beligian linen, 101 x 101 cm
Konstantina, Mula Magalyinyara #1, 2023, acrylic on Beligian linen, 121 x 91 cm
3. Konstantina, Gadigal Weave II (black), 2023, oil paint on Beligian linen, 100 x 100 cm
Konstantina, 95714, 2023, acrylic on Beligian linen, 200 x 140 cm
Konstantina, Gadigal Weave, 2024, oil paint on Beligian linen, 101 x 101 cm
6. Konstantina, Mula Magalyinyara #2, 2023, acrylic on Beligian linen, 121 x 91 cm 7. Konstantina, Gadigal Weave II (white), 2023, oil paint on Beligian linen,
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