Our Mob 2016: One Program, Three Prizes & Four Exhibitions

Our Mob, Adelaide Festival Centre's celebration of art by South Australian Aboriginal Artists, returns to the Festival Centre for its 11thshowing. This year the program is made of four exciting components: Our Mob, Our Young Mob, Our Mob Contemporary and the Don Dustan Foundation Prize Showcase. Three prizes will once again be awarded; Don Dunstan Foundation Our Mob Emerging Artist Prize, the Country Arts South Australia (CASA) Regional Our Mob Emerging Artist Professional Development Award andA?anguku Our Young Mob. With the success of Our Mob and TARNANTHI last year, the exhibition of traditional and contemporary art continues and this year will have one of the largest representations of regional artists Our Mob has exhibited.

Our Mob's main exhibition will feature a range of artworks: from new paintings from artists in Oak Valley/Maralinga, a boomerang and shield by Darryl Thomas, to beautifully etched glass by Ena Turner, Betty Summer's hand painted silk headscarf and canvas based works like Carolanne Ken's stunning acrylic on Belgian linen or Rita Lindsay's photographic pieces, the connecting factor between the art is the high skill level displayed across all genres. With most artworks for sale, there is something for everyone.

Youth is no barrier for entry with Our Young Mob, an exhibition of works by South Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders that is exclusive to under 18 year olds. With many young artists the children of parents who are exhibiting in Our Mob. Our Young Mob will be on display in Festival Theatre foyer and entrants will be eligible for the A?anguku Our Young Mob Prize which will award one Our Young Mob entrant with a prize pack of materials and gift vouchers for art supplies, making it possible for the young artist to purchase materials they wouldn't usually have access to.

Our Mob Contemporary returns with a collection of not for sale works, a curated component that provides a space for both conceptual development of works and professional development of artists. Last year a recipient of the CASA Regional Emerging Artist prize Debra Rankine took on the role of curator, this year the legendary Robert Fielding will be taking over the Festival Theatre foyer cabinets assisted by Adelaide Festival Centre Steel Ryan Fellow Coby Edgar. With themes of oppression, segregation missions and found objects, Robert uses photo documentary and drawings to explore the history and re-purposing of western objects by the Indigenous community as well as the issues of land rights.

The Don Dustan Foundation Our Mob Emerging Artist Prize is a monetary prize of $5,000 that has been running for three years and is selected by judges including the previous year's winner, a Don Dunstan Foundation member and an Aboriginal art curator/worker. The money is awarded for professional development, with most artists choosing to use the funds to take classes, do research or purchase new materials. The 2015 Don Dunstan Foundation Our Mob Emerging Artist prize winner, Josina Nyarpingka Pumani, has been invited to exhibit her work in Festival Theatre foyer as part of this year's Our Mob. Josina is a young Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara woman born in Mimili in the APY Lands in Far North South Australia. Since beginning painting in 2009, she is one of the youngest members of Mimili Maku Arts, and has strong cultural connections to the land passed down from her celebrated artist mother Ngupulya Pumani and grandmother Kunmanra (Milatjari) Pumani (now deceased). Josina has been developing new arts practices as part of her role at Mimili Maku Arts, experimenting with photography and digital media.

The other monetary prize is the CASA Regional Our Mob Emerging Artist Professional Development Award of $1,500, also awarded by a board of judges. The winning artist will negotiate with CASA to use the funds for professional development.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier said, "Integral to Adelaide Festival Centre's exhibition program, Our Mob has celebrated the diversity and talent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists living in South Australia since 2006. We are proud of OUR MOB's continued success and the professional development opportunities it provides for art practitioners, curators, and educators. This year, through Our Mob, Our Young Mob, Our Mob Contemporary, and the Don Dunstan Foundation Prize Showcase, the Our Mob program continues the tradition of championing contemporary Aboriginal art, showcasing established and emerging artists from all age groups across South Australia. I look forward to welcoming visitors to Adelaide Festival Centre to enjoy this year's impressive program and join us in celebrating outstanding South Australian talent."

Our Mob 2016 is on display in Artspace Gallery and Festival Theatre foyer from 15 October till 26 November, the official opening night is 21 October at Artspace Gallery.

Our Mob is proudly presented by Adelaide Festival Centre in conjunction with partners Country Arts SA and A?anguku Arts, in association with SICAD, Arts SA, Elite Framing and Don Dunstan Foundation.

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