Maningrida Art and Craft is synonymous with the best of contemporary traditional Aboriginal bark painting and sculpture, both major individual works and important collections.
Two people suspended in a soundscape - a space punctuated by a stark and corrosive sound. The wail of a dingo, an owl, the grating beat of an iron lung, a gasp, a cry for breath and above all a cacophony of memory.
The Power Institute at the University of Sydney ran a 10 week program devised by Susan Simons and Bronwyn Bancroft of panel discussions, presentations, films/videos and seminars exploring many of the issues of Aboriginal art in Australian society.
"I joined the Jabiru Cabaret in Cairns as one of the ten founding cast members in November 1988. The excitement for me as a performer, is to bridge the gap of understanding between various races, colours, cultures and countries. To witness the audience reaction to us as a group performing in three distinct areas makes us all feel very close to achieving the message of a minority through our art."
The period of 1986 - 1989 has been epoch making for Aboriginal printmaking, not necessarily because of an improvement in the quality of the prints produced during that time but because Aboriginal prints in forums broadly motivated by the centenary has allowed them to receive the recognition they deserve.
"In January 1989, I attended the second national Black Playwrights conference. I arrived at this conference feeling very unsure and insecure with nine small scenes which I had hoped would turn in to a play."