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110 6 Iconic Notes News and views

8 In discussion with Brian Oldman and Angus Trumble

10 Canberra Feature Cultural capital comes of age

22 Melbourne Museum Aztecs

28 National Gallery of Victoria Silent poetry, painting with sound

34 Art Gallery of South Australia The Kulata Tjuta Project

40 National Museum of Australia Hinton’s obsession

44 Australian War Memorial Reality in flames

50 Australian Museum Ghost nets

56 Queensland Museum Network Three stories from the Network

62 Australian National Maritime Museum Whales

66 Australian National Maritime Museum Warships pavilion

68 Queensland Art Gallery Delicate beauty

72 Queensland Gallery of Modern Art Trace

74 National Library of Australia Luminous world

80 Western Australian Museum Two lost ships

84 Western Australian Museum The art of taxidermy

86 National Archives of Australia Secrets, crimes and scandals in the National Archives

92 Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Take a tour through TMAG

98 Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne The Piranesi effect

102 Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne The world is not a foreign land

104 National Film and Sound Archive Visions from a Sunday too far away

108 National Film and Sound Archive You’ll come a waltzing Mathilda with me

110 Art Gallery of New South Wales Afghanistan

116 National Gallery of Australia Atua

120 National Gallery of Australia Bedford takes flight

122 Art Gallery of Western Australia Guy Grey-Smith

126 Art Gallery of Western Australia IMPACT

128 National Portrait Gallery Three stories from the NPG

132 Australian Centre for Contemporary Art NEW14

136 ICONIC Society Social photographs

144 Acknowledgement Major Exhibition Sponsors

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aunching a new magazine is both exciting and nerve-racking, but we are happy to report that sales for the first issue of ICON Magazine have surpassed all our expectations, with over 180 newsagents nationally selling out completely.

These excellent sales figures speak highly of the quality of the exhibitions that our major art galleries and museums have presented in ICON. The amount of time and energy invested in these fabulous showcases is a credit to Australia’s dedicated and talented curators and makes producing a magazine like ICON a pleasure and an honour.

We have been saying it about every issue, but we think this is the best one yet. The quality of the photographs is simply amazing. I have to say the image that caught my eye was Bryant Austin’s photograph of a Humpback whale calf on page 62 that is part of the National Maritime Museum’s Amazing Whales exhibition.

With his keen eye for detail, Thomas Biedermann, ICON’s publication manager, likes the photograph by Michael Zabe of the Aztec pendant on page 27 that is part of Melbourne Museum’s story about their current Aztecs exhibition, which features on our Front Cover this issue.

There have been two important appointments recently. Brian Oldman has been made Director of the South Australian Museum, and Angus Trumble has just taken up his appointment as Director of the National Portrait Gallery.

ICON interviewed both Directors and found them passionate and dedicated professionals, excited by their new positions. See interviews on pages eight and nine.

And please remember, you can buy ICON at your local newsagent, or save some money by subscribing and have ICON delivered directly to you. (See how to subscribe information on page 143).

Thank you to everyone for supporting ICON, we couldn’t do it without you.

Robert WilsonEDITORrobert@iconmagazine.com.au

EditorRobert Wilson

robert@iconmagazine.com.au

Publication ManagerThomas Biedermann

thomas@iconmagazine.com.au

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ICON

ISSUE FOUR On sale

3 May 2014

Melbourne MuseumAztecs

Full story pages 22 - 27

Front Cover

Aztec sculpture Source: © The Instituto Nacional de

Antropologia e Historia (INAH)

Photographer: Michel Zabe

Issue Three • March - April 2014

www.iconmagazine.com.au

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10

Cultural capital comes of age

The essence of Australia’s culture, history and way of life is reflected in the national attractions in Canberra.

11

National Gallery of Australia

36

When I was a young man I watched

wars being fought; spears moved like a dark cloud across country. I remember lying on the ground with other young men, watching and learning. I remember the sound of kulata tjuta; spears in flight.

Frank Young

Ngayulu yangupala-ngku nyinara nyangangi kulata-tjara pikaringkunyangka, Ka kulata paluru tjana wirtja-wirtja pakaningi ngangkali maru-purunypa. Ngayuluna kuwaripangkutu kulini yangupala tjuta-tjarangku mantangka ngarira mununa nyakula kuliningi. Palu purunypana kulinu kulata nyara palunya tjananya, rurku winki wirtjapakannya-ngka. Ka nganana anangu tjuta-ngku wangka kanyini tirkilpa, nganana ara kanyini kulata uri-uritjingara tirlkilpa kulintjikitjangku.

“We know if culture is strong, Anangu will continue the fight with a strong spirit.”

Willy Kaika Burton

37

We (Anangu) have a word for the rattle of the spears; that word is Tirkilpa. We have

a technique where we roll spears over each other to make this noise. A long time ago this noise would be heard before a battle begins. Waninyi is the Pitjantjatjara word for the sound the spear makes in flight.

We know Anangu Maru (Aboriginal people) fought Captain Cook in Sydney. Maru soldiers used spears (kulata tjuta) for that fight. When Ray, Mick, Hector and I were young men, we knew the white man was coming our way. We were trained by our old men for the war that was coming.

It may be hard for people who are not Anangu Maru to understand this need to protect country, our connection to country. Every single square inch of this Land has Tjukurpa (law and culture) inside it. Visitors to Aboriginal country must be very careful; lighting fires and digging in the ground could upset the Tjukurpa that lives inside that land, upset the Ancestors.

The sharp end of the spear is called irri and the hook at the tip of the spear, mukulpa. The spear can be made in three sections, the wood is held together in joints made of kangaroo tendon. If the sharp end of the spear is lodged in the kangaroo Malu, the other parts of the spear may still be easily retrieved, as the spear will come apart at the joints. It was made this way

so weapons would not be wasted. Anangu are careful with important tools. At one end of a woomera the man will keep his kiti and his blades. The kiti is resin made from spinifex grass and when reheated it becomes loose and like glue again.

The Ancestors travelled with weapons, a tool box and a long-lasting supply of glue for repairs. As a child and young man, I travelled this way. I travelled with one woomera and three kulata with my brothers across country. The weapons were made strong for hunting and strong for battle.

Sometimes I hear the Tirkilpa today; it is a different battle today but the fight is real for us.

Anangu are fighting for a chance at a better life and for a better future; we are fighting for our grandchildren. We fight for health, and for Tjukurpa, and Manta (country); these are the most important things. We know if culture is strong, Anangu will continue the fight with a strong spirit. Young men have always learned to make kulata through the old men, and through the old men like me the fight will continue for a better future for Anangu. Many wars have been fought to protect country and to protect Anangu our fight continues today, this is the story of Kulata Tjuta.

Willy Kaika Burton

Art Gallery of South Australia

50

Turtle, made by Ellarose Savage in 2012 from ghost nets. Acquired 2013Photographer:Rebecca Fisher - © Australian Museum

51

GHOST NETSDAUMA & GAROM

WORDS: Dr. Scott Mitchell, Head of Culture, Conservation and Business Services and Claire Vince, Publicist, Australian Museum

A large new artwork commissioned by the Australian Museum is now on display in the museum’s permanent Indigenous Australians

exhibition space.

62

WHALES

63

WHALESBryant Austin

Humpback Whale Calf

Become immersed in the world of Amazing Whales at the National Maritime Museum

WORDS: Jude Timms, Communications Officer, Australian National Maritime Museum

82

The World War II loss of HMAS Sydney (ll) with all hands is still, to this day, Australia’s greatest naval tragedy. Not one of the 645 men on board

survived the battle with the German raider HSK Kormoran – that one tragic incident accounted for just over 35 per cent of all Royal Australian Navy servicemen killed in action between 1939 and 1945.

What happened on the 19th of November 1941 between Sydney (ll) and her nemesis was, for decades, one of this country’s greatest war-time mysteries. Not surprisingly, at the height of the war most Australians simply could not accept the German survivors’ account of her complete and total loss. And, despite both wrecks being found in 2008 after years of unsuccessful searches, controversy, conjecture and conspiracy theories still shroud Sydney’s demise some 75 years later.

Today the Western Australian Museum, Curtin University and a multi-disciplinary project team is preparing to go back to the wreck sites to capture high resolution video and still images in both 2D and 3D. These images will ultimately be used to create a permanent, virtual visitor experience to two of the most significant, yet inaccessible, heritage sites in Australia.

It is an ambitious project, utilising leading-edge technology and expertise that does not come cheaply. At a cost of about

Torpedos – images from HMAS Sydney (II)Courtesy Australian War Memorial (David Mearns/Finding Sydney Foundation)

Guns with blistered paint – images from HSK KormoranCourtesy Australian War Memorial (David Mearns/Finding Sydney Foundation)

Boat with distinctive badge still attached to bow – images from HMAS Sydney (II)Courtesy Australian War Memorial (David Mearns/Finding Sydney Foundation)

$2.4 million – not all of which has been sourced – it is unlikely the expedition will be repeated again in this lifetime. That is why Museum CEO Alec Coles says it is crucial the project team gets this expedition absolutely right.

“The ‘Two Lost Ships’ project will use the latest technology to capture high definition, 3D stills and video footage to create a permanent and irrefutable record of the

location, orientation and condition of both ships,” Mr Coles said.

“In this way, it will provide vital forensic information to assist in understanding the nature of the encounter to inform the historical record and perhaps provide some closure for the families of those lost.

“We also hope to develop world-class interactive and experiential exhibitions about the ships, their confrontation, and

“The family was devastated. His son was thirteen at the time, and Mum had to be the breadwinner and never remarried. Her ashes were scattered off the

coast where Sydney was lost; that was her last wish.”J.A. McLeod-Smith, son of Chief Petty Officer Albert Fraser McLeod-Smith

83

the lower hulls were exposed almost down to the bilge keels and were not, as was initially expected, buried in sediment. Each site also has a sizeable second section and large debris fields which are substantially unexplored.

Key project partner DOF Subsea – the integrated subsea services company which provided the ship that found the wrecks back in 2008 – is once again donating its in-water expertise through the provision of a long range subsea survey and construction vessel. This is crucial to the success of the operation, as the highly specialised vessel needs to be able to sit directly over the wreck sites for a minimum of two, 12-hour shifts while two remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) swing into action 2,500 metres below.

“The capability of these latest generation vessels really makes a huge difference, we can operate safely and efficiently in even pretty rough weather,” said Survey and Inspection Manager at DOF Subsea, Bill Russell-Cargill.

“The ship’s ROVs have fiber optic links that allow a tremendous amount of pictures and video to be recorded from 2,500 metres below.”

And this allows the imaging equipment to come into its own. Attached to the ROVs are specially designed camera and lighting kits to capture the hundreds of thousands of images required for a 3D reconstruction of Sydney’s hull, allowing it to be seen in its entirety, on the seabed, for the very first time. Capture of similar images for the Kormoran is planned

but at this stage, not yet fully funded. Each ROV will be fitted with a bank of

high resolution digital still cameras, an HD 3D video camera and 3D digital still camera. LED lights will be used to throw enough light on the wrecks to capture clear, crisp images, all mounted to a custom-made hydraulically operated support frame. Designed and built for this project by Curtin University of Technology’s Centre for Marine Science and Technology, with assistance from the University of Western Australia’s Associate Professor Paul Bourke who is an expert in the field of visualization technologies and advanced imaging techniques, the package is at the forefront of imaging innovation.

“It is very exciting to be working with these new technologies to tell this amazing story,” Curtin University researcher and expedition leader Dr Andrew Hutchison said. “Never before has anyone attempted to record two shipwrecks together, at such depths, in this way.”

The battle between Sydney and Kormoran and the resulting loss of Sydney’s entire crew is an emotive and compelling chapter in Australia’s history. The ability to better understand the ships and their fates, and to bring this significant piece of our history to life in ways that will resonate across generations and beyond borders, will deliver true public value to new audiences world-wide. It will deliver, in effect, an important gift to the nation.

Crew of HMAS Sydney (II) 1941Courtesy Australian War Memorial

the search for the wrecks to bring these stories to Australian and international audiences in ways that are sensitive, effective and enduring.”

The wrecks of both ships lie about 200 kilometres off the Western Australian coast, 20 kilometers apart and at a depth of 2,500 metres. Protected under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976), they are surrounded by an exclusion zone that prohibits any vessel from entering the area without a permit. While the sites cannot be classified as war graves under legislation because they are under water, they are the last known resting places of some 724 lost souls, including dozens of German sailors who lost their lives when the Kormoran went down. Sensitivity is at the forefront of every level of project planning.

“Any interpretation of the sites would necessarily consider the impact on the families and communities of those who were lost,” Alec Coles said.

“It would also look at the impact on the two nations and seek to engage the German side of the story, leading to a wider understanding of the significance of the two ships, the battle between them, the context in which it occurred and the human consequences.”

At the core of the project is the collection of detailed images of both wrecks. Each site comprises a large hull section which is sitting upright on the seabed. Remarkably, in 2008,

112

A pair of pendants showing the “Dragon Master”Tillya Tepe, Tomb II

1st century A.D.Gold, turquoise, garnet, lapis lazuli, carnelian, pearls

12.5 x 6.5 cmNational Museum of Afghanistan

Thierry Ollivier

“Hidden Treasures from the National Museum Kabul” is an exciting exhibition that reveals some of the complex history of Afghanistan. It will be on show at the

Art Gallery of New South Wales from 7 March to 15 June 2014

WORDS: Craig Judd, Consulting Curator of “Afghanistan, Hidden Treasures from the National Museum Kabul”, Art Gallery of New South Wales

Art Gallery of New South Wales

113

Augged mountainous and desert land rich in natu-ral resources, humans began settling in this area over 7000 years ago. Criss crossed by trade

routes Afghanistan quickly became an area fiercely guarded and contested over millen-nia. Hidden Treasures consists of arte-facts from four archaeological sites: the late Bronze Age Tepe Fullol; a city founded by fol-lowers of Alexander the Great Aï Khanum (“Lady Moon”); a merchants storeroom from the Silk road trading centre of Begram and Tepe Tillye (Hill of Gold) a high status burial of a nomad chieftain and his entourage. The objects on display speak of the heroism and romance of human settlement and survival in seemingly impossible geographical loca-tions.

It is also an exhibition that reveals the vital role of the museum as a holding place and symbol of the survival of cultural herit-age. Before 1979 the Kabul Museum was re-garded as one of the top four archaeological collections in the world. Tragically during the chaos of the 1980’s and 90’s the building itself was bombed and the museum lost 70% of its collection due to looting. However international efforts spearheaded by the British Museum have returned 9,000 arte-facts and donations from the United States of America, Japan, the Netherlands have helped restore the museum. Restitution of artefacts continues.

Looting continues to be a major interna-tional problem. This reality is represented in the Late Bronze Age (c.1800-2000BCE) gob-lets from Tepe Fullol. They were in the pro-cess of being hacked away by axes, divvied up equally between members of the com-munity before authorities intervened. These vessels very important finds, being the first evidence of a distinct sedentary urban and farming lifestyle in northern Afghanistan. Surprisingly the goblets feature motifs of the bearded bull and stepped square popular in Mesopotamia some 2000 kilometres away. The strength and development of Trade is another theme of this exhibition.

Undoubtedly the highlight of Hidden Treasures is a golden hoard from six tombs discovered in 1978 at Tillye Tepe near pre-sent day Sherberghan, northern Afghanistan. Some 2,130 years ago migrating Kushans crossed the central Asian steppes into the kingdoms that had developed in the wake of Alexander the Great’s troops and sucessors. At first contemptuous, then enamoured of a sedentary urban lifestyle the Kushans cre-

Boot buckleTillya Tepe

1st century A.D.Gold, turquoise, diam. 5.5 cm, hight 1.1 cm

National Museum of AfghanistanThierry Ollivier

143

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