Articles - 20 July 2007

Woven Forms: Contemporary basket making in Australia

Introduction by Brian Parkes

Woven Forms: Contemporary basket making in Australia presents outstanding works by 58 contemporary fibre artists, from Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultural backgrounds. Through their work and the texts that follow in this publication, Woven Forms attempts to survey the complex and diverse field of basket making throughout the various regions of Australia.

Basket making is loaded with notions of cultural heritage, and a simple search of the term 'basket making' on the Internet will take you on a virtual journey across most continents and back in time through the ages. There is an immense global community of basket makers and an even greater number of people who appreciate and collect their work. Given the extraordinary development within the field in Australia in the last 20 to 30 years, it seems timely to create this opportunity for audiences to consider the different circumstances, influences and exchanges that have helped to shape the diverse and often distinctive approaches to basket making in this country.

The works, and stories that accompany them, not only demonstrate the extraordinary breadth within the field but also serve to subtly illustrate the value of Australia's rich cultural diversity. In its own small way, Woven Forms could be considered a model for reconciliation: between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous makers, differences are celebrated, knowledge is preserved and exchanged, individual expression is valued and respect is mutual.

Woven Forms builds on the awareness of contemporary fibre art established through many important exhibitions held in Australia, particularly during the past 10 to 15 years. These have included; shows focusing on the fibre work of artists from specific Indigenous communities; broad surveys of work by Indigenous artists, including basket makers, from particular regions; as well as exhibitions showcasing the work of non-Indigenous fibre artists associated with the studio crafts movement. As well, Australia's national and state galleries, along with many regional galleries and museums, have been actively collecting baskets by contemporary artists, and have often developed exhibitions around these acquisitions. Australian magazines such as Textile Fibre Forum, Object and Craft Arts International have also regularly published articles, reviews and profiles related to the field during this time.

Confronting the significant challenge of surveying basket making across the country, and across cultures, Object engaged a team of curators with expertise and relevant networks in specific regions - many of them having played key roles in the development or promotion of the field. In early meetings, parameters for the development of the exhibition were negotiated through lively discussion, and even the very definition of what constitutes a 'basket' became contested ground. Many more artists were considered than could be practically accommodated within the show. However, such was the quality and diversity of the work that the proposed number of artists - 30 at the outset - almost doubled along the way. Among the final list of exhibitors are key protagonists within Australian basket making such as Yvonne Koolmatrie, Nalda Searles and Virginia Kaiser as well as Desley Henry, Lennah Newson and Djupuduwuy Guyula, three senior artists who, sadly, died during the development of this exhibition. Each was a mentor for younger artists and each a passionate advocate for basket making and its cultural significance.

Above all, Woven Forms is a showcase of the creativity and skill so prominent in Australian basket making today. The baskets themselves, demonstrate beauty, individuality and refinement. Through their own woven forms, they tell stories about where and how they were made, and about the time and knowledge invested in their making.

Brian Parkes
Associate Director
Object: Australian Centre for Craft and Design

Woven Forms: Contemporary basket making in Australia catalogue

Also see: 716 craft·design Issue #23 August 2007
Special issue on Indigenous craft and design