The exhibition is a reaction to what is the most pressing environmental crisis of our time: the on-going devastation of the Murray-Darling Basin particularly the imminent demise of the once great Darling/Barka River. The environmental, human, cultural and economic loss in the region has been incalculable.
Darling/Barka river, Mt Murchison August 2019 Photograph: Gavin Wilson
Historically, the Murray-Darling Basin has long been subjected to the natural extremes of flood and drought. However, in this age of climate change and the on-going gross mismanagement of precious water resources, driven by an entrenched culture of greed, the Basin’s river systems and wetlands have been decimated and people’s well-being destroyed. The reason apocalyptic fish kill in the Darling/Barka River triggered a national outcry – yet nothing has changed. Now is the time to address this environmental emergency and demand REAL lasting action at the highest levels. The water held captive by commercial interests and government agencies MUST be released to rejuvenate the rivers, and bring back life into the Basin.
With the Darling/Barka River teetering on the brink, it’s time to re-think the industrial agricultural enterprise responsible for much of the on-going environmental degradation of Western New South Wales. Nothing short of a Royal Commission will get to the bottom of this national disaster. Led by the Barkindji artists, the powerful revelations on display in River on the Brink reinforce the need to act now and saved the once great Darling/Barka River.
Darling/Barka River at Kalyanka. August 2019 Photograph: Gavin Wilson
Gavin Wilson Exhibition Curator
The exhibition was opened by Mr Geoff Cousins AM
Menindee Fish Kill
BONITA ELY, MELISSA WILLIAMS-BROWN 2019,
inkjet on metallic 110x160cm,
collection the artist
Menindee Fish Kill 2
MELISSA WILLIAMS-BROWN 2019 inkjet on metallic 110x160cm collection the artist
The Churning
JULIE HARRIS 2019,
acrylic and marble dust on canvas 149x140cm,
courtesy the artist and Art Artium
Wetlands (memories)
JULIE HARRIS 2019,
ink on paper 75x216cm,
courtesy the artist and Art Atrium
Stele
IAN MARR 2019,
hand-cut lettering on Mintaro slate,
courtesy the artist and Stella Downer Fine Art
The rocks at Mount Murchison
IAN MARR, Felt tip pen on copper sheets diptych 66x295cm overall,
courtesy the artist and Stella Downer Fine Art
Nadir
IAN MARR 2011,
graphite on Strathmore board 103x56cm, courtesy the artist and Stella Downer Fine Art
The Shed, Mount Murchison
ELIZABETH CUMMINGS 2019,
oil on canvas 165x200cm, Private Collection
Dry River Bed
ELIZABETH CUMMINGS 2019,
oil on canvas 165x200cm, Private Collection
Darling River Bank
ELIZABETH CUMMINGS 2019,
oil on canvas 60x80cm, courtesy King Street Gallery on William
River bank
ELIZABETH CUMMINGS 2019,
gouache on paper 23x30cm,
courtesy King Street Gallery on William
Remnant River
Light on the river
ELIZABETH CUMMINGS 2019,
gouache on paper 23x30cm, courtesy King Street Gallery on William
Darling River Bend
AMANDA PENROSE HART 2019,
oil on linen 51x61cm, collection of the artist, courtesy King Street Gallery on William
Murray Darling
AMANDA PENROSE HART 2019,
oil on linen 90x120cm, collection of the artist, courtesy King Street Gallery on William
Riverbed bed, Wilcannia
LUKE SCIBERRAS 2019,
gouache & pastel on paper 56x75cm, collection the artist
Below the red ground, Wilcannia
LUKE SCIBERRAS 2019,
gouache & pastel on paper 56x75cm, collection the artist
Sand hills on the darling
LUKE SCIBERRAS 2019,
gouache & pastel on paper 56x75cm, collection the artist
When the river runs dry
LUKE SCIBERRAS 2018,
oil on board 120x160cm, private collection
The Broken River
GUY MAESTRI 2019,
oil on canvas 14x112cm, collection the artist
The Broken River 2
GUY MAESTRI 2019,
oil on canvas 112x87cm, collection the artist
Wilcannia, Zombie Rorschach
BEN QUILTY 2013 reworked 2014, oil on linen 260c660cm: 12 panels, collection
Figures Carrying a Boat, Darling River
EUAN MACLEOD 2019,
acrylic on paper 38.5x58cm, courtesy the artist and KIing Street Gallery on William
Carrying leaking boat, Darling River
EUAN MACLEOD 2019,
acrylic on paper 180x150cm, courtesy the artist and KIing Street Gallery on William
Boat / Skeleton / Darling
EUAN MACLEOD 2019,
acrylic on paper 38.5x58cm,
courtesy the artist and King Street on William
Blue boat and skeleton, Darling River
EUAN MACLEOD 2019,
oil and acrylic on polyester 100x124cm,
courtesy the artist and King Street on William
Kalyanka
JOHN R.WALKER 2015,
archival oil on polyester 177x180cm
collection the artist and Utopia Art Sydney
The Darling at Kalyanka
JOHN R.WALKER 2014
archival oil on polyester 178x186cm,
private collection
Last water reflection
IDRIS MURPHY 2006,
acrylic on board 120x120cm,
private collection
Desert garden, Broken Hill
IDRIS MURPHY 2003,
acrylic on board 123x123cm,
private collection
Barka the Forgotten River and the Desecration of the Menindee Lakes 2018
BADGER BATES 2018,
linocut print 60x45cm,
collection the artist
Parntu Thayilana Wiithi (Cod Eating Yabbies)
BADGER BATES 2004,
linocut print 37x79cm,
collection the artist
Life Coming Back To Moon Lake, Wilcannia
BADGER BATES 2011,
linocut print 73x43cm,
collection the artist
Ngatyi Blowing a Rainbow at Peery Lake
BADGER BATES 2009,
linocut print 43x73cm,
collection the artist
Mission Mob, Bend Mob, Wilcannia 1950’s
BADGER BATES 2009,
linocut print 73×42.5cm,
collection the artist
River spirits 2019
EDDY HARRIS 2019,
acrylic on canvas 122x90cm,
collection the artist
River gathering
EDDY HARRIS 2019,
acrylic on canvas 73x50cm,
collection the artist
Boomerangs (3)
KIM HARRIS 2019
acrylic on River Gum wood, 70x77cm,
collection the artist
The Baka
KIM HARRIS 2019,
acrylic on canvas 122x92cm,
collection the artist
Water Birds
BRIAN HARRIS 2019,
acrylic on bark 78x24cm,
collection the artist
River Goanna
BRIAN HARRIS 2019,
acrylic on bark 74x21cm,
collection the artist
Water as life: the town of Wilcannia and the Darling/Barka
RUBY DAVIES 20 AUGUST 2007
giclee / pure pigment print 89x120cm,
collection the artist
Witness
RUBY DAVIES 2019,
oil on marine ply 41x52cm,
private collection
Sold down the river
RUBY DAVIES 2019,
oil on canvas 82x62cm,
private collection
Sun and Moon
RUBY DAVIES 2019,
oil on canvas 51x63cm,
collection the artist
Mirage
RUBY DAVIES 2019,
oil on canvas 63×52.5cm,
private collection
Uncle Badger Bates, artist and activist
JUSTINE MULLER 2019,
archival pigment print,
collection the artist
Kevin Dean Whyman
JUSTINE MULLER 2019,
archival pigment print,
collection the artist
Summer In Wilcannia
JUSTINE MULLER 2019,
archivial pigment print,
collection the artist
Town in mourning
JUSTINE MULLER 2019,
archival pigment print,
collection the artist
Reena Staker
JUSTINE MULLER 2019,
archival pigment print,
collection the artist
Tilpa Bridge of the once Mighty Darling River / Barka
JUSTINE MULLER 2019,
archival pigment print,
collection the artist
Blue-green algae in the Barka
JUSTINE MULLER 2019,
earth, ochres, pigment, acrylic, charcoal on hand pressed cotton,
collection the artist
Impression of a dust storm
JUSTINE MULLER 2019,
earth, ochres, pigments, acrylic, charcoal on hand pressed cotton,
collection the artist
The hope of rain
JUSTINE MULLER 2019,
earth, ochres, pigment, acrylic, charcoal on hand pressed cotton, collection the artist
Tree stumps, Nookamka
NICI CUMPSTON 2008,
10 edition 3/10 archival inkjet print on canvas, hand coloured with watercolours and pencils 75x205cm,
courtesy the artist
Ringbarked II, Nookamka Lake
NICI CUMPSTON 2011,
14 edition 1/5 archival inkjet print on canvas, hand coloured with watercolours and pencils 75x205cm,
courtesy the artist
Memorial I
NICI CUMPSTON 2017,
40×25.5cm (image size) 61x40cm (sheet size),
courtesy the artist
Memorial II
NICI CUMPSTON 2017,
28x38cm (image size) 40×49.5cm (sheet size),
courtesy the artist
Economic of water #7, (Levee)
JAMES TAYLOR 2018,
gold paint on photograph 100x100cm,
collection the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery Melbourne
Economics of water #12, (Embankment)
JAMES TAYLOR 2018,
gold paint on photograph 100x100cm,
collection the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery Melbourne
Economics of water #13, (Weir)
JAMES TAYLOR 2018,
gold paint on photograph 100x100cm,
collection the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery Melbourne
Economics of water #14, (Bank)
JAMES TAYLOR 2018,
gold paint on photograph 100x100cm,
collection the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery Melbourne
The absorption method
NOT 2019,
wooden vintage rice mould scorched from hand-blown furnace glass 12x19x18cm,
courtesy the artist and Kronenberg Mais Wright Sydney
Barkandji Country 5
PAUL HARMON 2018,
archival solvent pigment on wet strength paper 75x75cm,
collection the artist
Barkandji Country 1
PAUL HARMON 2018,
archival solvent pigment on wet strength paper 75x75cm,
collection the artist
Wiradjuri Country 1
PAUL HARMON 2018,
archival solvent pigment on wet strength paper 75x110cm,
collection the artist
Euahlayi Country 1
PAUL HARMON 2018,
archival solvent pigment on wet strength paper 75x110cm,
collection the artist
Flooding is a dream
MARTIN KING 2008,
etching, aquatint and spitbite 60x180cm,
