Featured in Sydney’s largest biennial survey of contemporary Australian art The National 4: Australian Art Nowis Teho Ropeyarn.
Located at Carriageworks, Ropeyarn presents Wintinganhu (sister-in-law), a large-scale paper installation of a floral wreath, made up of printed layers of the Cape York Lily flower.
Ropeyarn states:
The wreath is a tribute piece to my mum, who married into my dad’s family in Northern Cape York and took on an important cultural role within the family – traditionally a Torres Strait funerary practice. In-laws take a leading role in funerary practices from handling the deceased and organising the logistics while the family mourn, each time there is a passing. The idea of the wreath is about healing, celebrating my mum and the role she has played over the years.
Dr. Tina Baum, Curator, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, National Gallery of Australia states:
“As a floral tribute, Wintinganhu (sister in-law) is an ambitious reflection encompassing so many different layers not only as an invaluable cultural record but most poignantly as a loving homage to a mother from a son.”
The National 4: Australian Art Now is a collaboration between four major cultural institutions: the Art Gallery of New South Wales; Campbelltown Arts Centre; Carriageworks and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, curated by Beatrice Galton (Art Gallery of NSW), Emily Rolfe (Campbelltown Arts Centre), Freja Carmichael and Aarna Fitzgerald Hanley (Carriageworks), and Jane Devery (MCA Australia).
The National 4 brings together a dynamic group of artists and collectives from across every state and territory. Shared themes in The National 4 include intergenerational learning and interconnectedness, a focus on language and narrative and the role of the artist in the 21st century.
The National 4: Australian Art Now is on at Carriageworks from Thursday 30 March – Sunday 25 June 2023
View Available Work by Teho Ropeyarn
Image: Teho Ropeyarn, Wintinganhu (sister-in-law), 2023, vinyl-cut prints on board, sound. Installation dimensions variable. Installation view, The National 4: Australian Art Now, Carriageworks. Image courtesy the artist and Onespace, Brisbane © the artist. Photo: Zan Wimberley.
