Session 82 summary
Banjo Clarke (Dec) Fiona’s father was a respected Aboriginal Elder of the Kirrae Whurrong of South West Victoria, Australia. A man of charisma and wisdom, people from politicians to persons down on their luck would go to him for discussion, his opinion or just to be around him, such was his healing spirit. Banjo passed down many stories told to him by his Elders to his children. When Fiona was little her Dad used to take her fishing down the river, (Hopkins River). He’d have a spear and could somehow see the eels swimming in the muddy water then bang, he’d get an eel. Then they would take it back home and he would show her how to skin it. It was good growing up on the Settlement, her Dad knew lots of things from the Elders and they learnt a few stories like Nett Netts who were like little elves and like children spirits that would hide in their shadow. Her father was friends with a woman named Camilla Fligelman, (nee Chance). She was intrigued with Banjo’s stories, so much, so she recorded his stories for over 20 years. Camilla wrote a book about his life and family. The book ‘Wisdom Man, Banjo Clarke, As told to Camilla Chance’ was published by Penguin Books in 2000. When her father Banjo Clarke passed away 3,000 people attended his funeral, because he was highly loved around Australia by people from all walks of life. Her sister Patricia Clarke completed her degree in teaching at Deakin University and taught Aboriginal culture for 30 years at Primary Schools and Deakin University. She is also a performing artist and a visual artist. Before she retired she was working at the Warrnambool Police station. Her brother Lenny Clarke was Aboriginal advisor to Victoria Police. He also played parts in TV programs such as ‘Homicide’ , ‘Division 4’ and has been giving talks around Australia most of his life about Aboriginal culture. Her brother Lenny Clarke and her sister Patricia Clarke helped start the first Koorie Courts. Fiona had epileptic fits every day until she was a teenager. She had no idea what her future was going to be like as she was always sick. But she copped a lot of things, diabetes, tuberculosis, Grand Mal epilepsy. But she didn’t give up, she had plans and dreams. There wasn’t much support for Aboriginal people back then.
Around 1989 she took up art. Her sister had been doing art for a while, her brother had encouraged her to do art and her husband Ken McKean was also an artist and encouraged me to do art too. So, she started making art and her journey as an artist began. Her First Exhibition was in 1996 at the Warrnambool Art Gallery. She had exhibitions around Melbourne and Warrnambool, Bunjilaka Museum, (Museum Victoria), Koorie Heritage Trust, Bulle Galleries, Flinders Street, Melbourne.
Life and Histories, Traps Tracks and Tucker, Looking to the Future Facing the Past:
She painted a series of paintings based on her father’s book, ‘Wisdom Man’. She painted them based on the story Banjo told of when he was a young boy and he, and his family moved down to Melbourne to find work. They were quite poor and at times struggled to find food, but were helped by unlikely people, Ladies of the night. Banjo referred to them as Angels. While other so called respectable citizens in the community would turn the other way or cross the street to avoid them, these ladies would give money to them and say, “go to the grocery store and buy some food and bring it back to me” this they would do. On returning to the lady and giving her the groceries she would then say, “take them home to your mother to cook”, otherwise the children would have went to bed with empty stomachs. The paintings are also based on the story Banjo told of his travels swagging and looking for work. One day Banjo came to a house estate with a long driveway and large house. He was hungry so he went and knocked on the door to ask for something to eat. To his surprise a young boy answered the door, he said, “Hello mister can I help you”. Banjo asked if his parents were home. The boy said no, but then offered to help and began preparing food for him. Banjo became nervous thinking the parents may not approve should they return, but the boy insisted. The boy then walked with him back to the entrance of the driveway. Then with a curious expression on his face asked, “Are you an Aboriginal?” One of Fiona’s main passions was Tapestry. It was her mediation and therapy and helped her to heal. In 2003 she was invited by the Victorian Tapestry Workshop, (now the Australian Tapestry Workshop) to create a tapestry. She was awarded $10k by Australia Council to work as an Artist in Residence at The Victorian Tapestry Workshop. ‘Talking Tucker’ creation- Fiona Clarke was Artist in Residence for 12 months at Australian Tapestry Workshop, (formerly Victorian Tapestry Workshop) First major tapestry created by an Australian Aboriginal person. It took 12 Months on the finished work. The design reflects the importance of food and the food chain that sustained Aboriginal people for over 40.000 years and a thing Aboriginal people never took for granted, shown by their respect for nature and the nourishment it has supplied them. She did Camel Public School and Murals Reconciliation Mural, Ozone Car Park, Warrnambool. Her husband Ken McKean and she worked on a project for the Port Fairy Folk Festival to raise awareness of Aboriginal culture and encourage Reconciliation. They worked with Indigenous and non-Indigenous kids to help create a fantastic event. ‘Eel Trap’ carving by Fiona Clarke into stone sculpture by internationally renowned New Zealand Sculptor Chris Booth In 2001 Chris Booth an Internationally renowned New Zealand artist commissioned Fiona to work on his sculpture, ‘Strata’ in Little Collins Street Melbourne. Chris and Fiona have a great respect for each other and worked together on this project. Chris knitted the stones together with steel cable echoing the traditional cloaks of first nation people. Possum skin cloaks were made and worn by Aboriginal people and were a form of identity. This sculpture was in the plaza (formerly Axa Plaza) between William and Queen Streets, Melbourne. It was removed only recently to make way for coffee tables but went to a good home with MONA in Hobart, Tasmania. ‘Eel Trap’ Sculpture creation for the City of Melbourne by Fiona Clarke and her husband Ken McKean This sculpture was commissioned by the City of Melbourne in preparation for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. Melbourne wanted to show the strength of Aboriginal culture and its respect for First Nation people by commissioning great works of art, created and made by Aboriginal people. She also did a Sculpture in Brophy Youth Complex. Fiona wove with telephone wire, much like the wire Banjo used to make little baskets. ‘Eel Story’ Aboriginal design of eel story, Brophy Youth Complex, Warrnambool Aboriginal design of eel story which represents the 10,000 mile journey and cycle the eel makes from Vanuatu to Western Victoria, Commissioned by Brophy’s Youth Services for their youth complex. Ngatanwarr Mural, Warrnambool College Commissioned by Warrnambool College to make all entering College feel welcome which is what the word ‘Ngatanwarr’ means in Peek Whurrong language. ‘Koontapool (Whale) Dreaming, Patloch Lane Warrnambool Aboriginal design set in lane way, (Patloch Lane), of a whale fossil signifying the importance of Whales to local Aboriginal culture it was Commissioned by Warrnambool City Council, 2015. There was the launch at MCG of Fiona Clarké design for Cricket Australia 150th Anniversary of 1st Australian Aboriginal Cricket team to play at the MCG in 1866. With the then Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Minister Natalie Hutchins, and former Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland and other VIPs. Back in 2019 the first design was done for the T20 matches which was the first time any indigenous design in England was put into a national sports jersey.
About the Speaker
Fiona Clarke
Born in Warrnambool, South West Victoria in 1963, Fiona is a Kirrae Whurrong Aboriginal woman. For over 30 years Fiona has depicted her Aboriginal culture through the visual arts, including tapestry, painting, public art and through children’s literature. Fiona has created a variety of artworks using uncomplicated symbols, juxtaposed against rich earthy backgrounds and colours, producing vibrant contemporary works of art. Today she is quite well known, and her work is in collections nationally and internationally. Recently her focus is on public arts and has been commissioned to create works, in Warrnambool, Colac, Camperdown, Terang, and Melbourne. In 2016 Cricket Australia chose Fiona’s design, ‘Walkabout Wickets’ to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first Aboriginal XI Cricket team to play at the MCG. One of those players was Fiona’s Great, Great Grandfather James Couzens. Another player in this team was her Great Great Uncle John Couzens. This year (2019) Fiona was shortlisted in the Metro Trains new High Capacity First People’s Art Commission. She was also awarded funding by City of Melbourne to write and illustrate her second Aboriginal children’s book which Fiona is currently working on, (her first was,’Minkgill Chases the Rainbow’).
