messages from Australian
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
The Black on White project began back in 2008, when Djammarr Djordila, Uncle Merv Bishop and Belinda Mason travelled to remote communities in Arnhem Land NT, at the first anniversary of the Australian Governments Intervention Policy to hear community reactions and ask communities to create a visual record of their opinion. The image of Djammarr (above) won the Australian Human Rights Commission Photographic Award in 2008. The projects original goal was to enable Balanda people (white people) to have an insight to the viewpoint of Aboriginal peoples (Yolngu, Arnhem Land) have on white Australians and their culture. Since then, the project has expanded across Australia add 200 of their voices to this exhibition. Each with their own story to tell, and message to give to non- Aboriginal Australians. The exhibition has been shown in GaleriaZero, Barcelona Spain, Perth Centre of Photography, WA and Albury Library & Museum, NSW and State Library of NSW. Aiming to foster cultural understanding, Black on White captures First Nations perspectives on social issues and has been exhibited internationally. This exhibition is available for exhibition and is currently held for safekeeping at the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
Warning to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders: These images may contain portraits of deceased people.
The exhibition “Black on White” will be shown at the State Library of NSW from 6 May 2013 until 22 August 2013.
The project began back in 2008, when Djammarr Djordila and Belinda Mason travelled to remote communities in Arnhem Land NT, at the first anniversary of the Australian Governments Intervention Policy to hear community reactions and ask them to record a visual record of their opinion. The image of Djammarr, on the right won the Australian Human Rights Photographic Award in 2008.
The projects original goal was to enable Balanda (white, Arnhem Land) people to have an insight to the viewpoint of Aboriginal (Yolngu, Arnhem Land) Australians have on white Australians and their culture. Since then, the project has expanded across Australia, and added their voices to this exhibition. Each with their own story to tell, and message to give to non- Aboriginal Australians.
The exhibition has been shown in GaleriaZero, Barcelona Spain, Perth Centre of Photography, WA and Albury Library & Museum, NSW.
There are many different language groups, so the title of this exhibition is taken from Central Arnhem Land word Yolngu, a noun, which translates to “a person who is Aboriginal”. The name for a white person is “balanda” Other words that are used in different parts of Australia.
Aiming to foster cultural understanding, it captures First Nations perspectives on social issues and has been exhibited internationally.
“Belinda and I get permission from people to take the photos. They like the whiteboard because it’s more than being in a normal photo. The person with the whiteboard is telling something to the world. Everyone can understand what we're talking about in the picture.” “for me, I wrote : “ Our law stays the same, it doesn’t change….too much talk not enough action”
– Djammarr Djordila, Maningrida NT
Many people have supported the project and made it possible for further workshops to happen and allow more voices to be added to this project. We thank all of them for their help and guidance. This includes, Uncle Merv Bishop, JB Seed Foundation, Robert Dann, Annie and Scott McCall, Bruce Marshall, Kevin Cooper, Moran Foundation, Perth Centre of Photography, Albury City Library, GaleriaZeroBarcelona and the State Library of NSW.
This project is dedicated to the memory of my dear friend Namarabang (Charlie) Djordila
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