Gordon’s Story
Profile
Father’s country: Biripi
Land Mother’s country: Worimi
Language: Ghattang
Gordon is a well-known Aboriginal artist and a dedicated and determined supporter of Aboriginal culture.
Father’s Country: Worimi
Mother’s Country: Biripi
Language: Ghattang
Title: WHERE THE WILDFLOWERS ONCE GREW
Medium: Oil on Belgium Linen
Measurements: 267 x 150 CM
Place: Forster/Tuncurry, mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia
Year: 2005
STORY:
This is Old Minimbah Land where Grandma used to live. It is CROWN LAND and my Father’s name, Robert John Syron is on the map.
This land is part of the Old Coroborree Grounds.
This painting is the result of trying to create a painting/photograph of my memory of just how majestic the rainforest, flowers, and trees were of our Land. The mining companies came through this area and took more than a foot-deep of topsoil off thousands of acres of our land. They took all the elements and goodness out of the soil. Now the wildflowers don’t grow anymore. When I was young I could lean off my horse and in seconds have an armful of breathtakingly beautiful wildflowers, I wouldn’t even have to get off my horse to pick them. This Land was sacred to me that is why I chose to paint about it.
There is another controversial story which needs to be told about the above painting which is now a major series of artworks in the Syron portfolio.
Described as a “pioneer of urban and contemporary Aboriginal art in Australia”, Gordon’s work has won the University of NSW College of Fine Art Professional (COFA) 2009 prize. He has been nominated for an Adjunct Professorship of Indigenous Art at the University of Technology, Sydney.
His works are displayed internationally and permanently in multiple Australian museums, including the National Museum of Australia in Canberra and the Museum of Sydney. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, 2004 Athens Olympic Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Gordon’s works were exhibited at the Australian Pavilions.
Gordon’s Dream
This unique collection of Indigenous art began over 40 years ago as a dream. The first thoughts about a Keeping Place occurred years before the label of “keeping place” was ever applied to a physical collection of paintings, sculpture, photography and cultural artefacts.
History of Keeping Place
In 1998 the Black Fella Dreaming Aboriginal Art Gallery opened in 239 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst
In 2002 Chicka Dixon officially opened Black Fella’s Dreaming Museum at the same location. There was a smoking ceremony and a black fellas’ urban corroboree on the street, opposite Darlinghurst High Court where Gordon Syron was tried for murder in 1972. Four generations of Chicka Dixon’s family danced and played music during the Opening.
In February 2010, The Keeping Place 1972-2010 exhibition opened at the Australian Museum in Sydney, the third exhibition held by the museum of the Collection’s works since 1998. This exhibition was curated by Sheryl Connors-Young.
Hear what the Patron the Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG said at the opening of the exhibition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1_5KYVT-jg
With the Collection’s national acclaim and diversity, it is not surprising that museums of the calibre of the Australian Museum, Sydney, would exhibit works from the Collection.
Highly regarded museums have purchased works from the Keeping Place Collection, including the Museum of Sydney in Bridge Street, the Australian National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour, and the National Australia Museum in Canberra.
Other exhibitions were held at University of California and Flinders University. This latter exhibition led to the purchase of a major work by Flinders University.
John Young
Director Strategy
Keeping Place Project
PO Box 536
Spit Junction NSW 2088
Australia
0407 940 943
+61 407 940 943
yindi1951@gmail.com
www.keepingplace.net.au