City of Joondalup releases Doondalup by Noongar-Minang artist Christopher Pease as part of the NAIDOC celebration

An important work on Lake Joondalup and its continued importance to the people of Noongar was announced as part of this month’s NAIDOC celebration.

The City of Joondalup commissioned Noongar-Minang’s leading artist Christopher Pease to create an artwork for its collection.

Pease said the Doondalup, a 90cm by 70cm oil painting, displays elements of the written and oral history of the area.

Your local role, whenever you want.

It focuses on the area around Lake Joondalup, known as Doondalup, ‘the lake that shines.’

Christopher Pease with his painting, Doondalup.
Camera iconChristopher Pease with his painting, Doondalup. Credit: Granted

“The lake combines two stories. The Charnock woman and the wygul, ”Pease said.

“The creation of the lake during Nyitting (cold season) includes wygul, sharks and crocodiles. The remains of the female Charnock are visible at night when the Milky Way (the hair of the female Charnock and the children) is visible on the lake.

“The woman is walking towards the lake, guided by unseen forces, remnants of the lake’s history.”

Joondalup deputy mayor Christine Hamilton-Prime said in a statement that the city is committed to reconciliation and is proud to have Doondalup in its 270-work art collection.

“We are honored to have Christopher work on this high-profile commission,” he said.

“The area surrounding Lake Joondalup is, and continues to be, a very important place for the Mooro Noongar people, and we are confident that Doondalup will allow us to reflect on and acknowledge the contributions that the First Nations have made, and continue to do. , to our country and society every day. ”

Pease was selected for the commissioned piece when 46 artists responded to the city’s request for expressions of Interest for the Visual Art Commission’s program for 2021-22.

The city’s collection is dedicated to WA’s contemporary art. The collection consists of a range of media involving painting, sculpture, drawing, ceramic, print, photography, digital media and textiles.

The commission’s program has been running since 2012, with the goal of documenting and representing Joondalup City’s landmarks and people in the city’s art collection.

Artists from across Australia are invited to submit expressions of interest that address the social, urban or natural environment of the Joondalup City region, with one artist selected to create new artwork, valued at $ 20,000

Doondalup will be featured as part of an exhibition at the Joondalup Library throughout July of new folk works acquired by the city.

Other works on display include new acquisitions from talented local Indigenous artists Vanessa Russ, Mandy White, Sandra Hill and Tjyllyungoo Lance Chadd.

The exhibition will run until July 31. Applications for the city’s next art commission will close on August 15.