Artist: Elsie Gabori
Title: My Mother's Country
Cat No: 853-19
Size: 61.5 x 30.5 cm
Acrylic on Canvas
Story:
My mother was born on the nearby Albinia Island. We call this island Dalwai in our language. It is just west of Bentinck Island.
About:
Birth Date: circa 1947
Language: Kayardild
Country: Dulkawalne - Bentinck Island
Community: Mornington Island (Gunana) : QLD
Biography:
"I was born on Bentinck island. When I was about 2 or 3 years old our people were all taken from Bentinck island to the mission on Mornington Island because there was a severe fresh water shortage on Bentinck island. I was placed in the dormitory and kept away from my parents. I attended the mission school along with the Lardil children of Mornington Island. I went to school unl I turned 15 and then I went to work as a housemaid in the mission house. I was paid about 10 shillings a week but we lived off the land and sea and didn't really need money. "A vacancy opened on a cale property on the mainland at Kamilaroy and I was sent there to work as a house servant for 3 years before I returned to Mornington Island. I raised a family of 3 girls and 2 boys with my present partner Bob Thompson. "I only had housework to do and was bored. My mum was selling lots of paintings and really enjoyed painting. One of my brothers passed away so I went up to the Art Centre with mum to keep her company and decided to try painting for myself. I found that I loved it as well. I really want to become a good artist like my mum and paint about Bentinck Island and my people and their stories."
Group Exhibitions:
2018 CIAF-Connection to Country : Cairns Qld
2019 Salon Gallery : Darwin, NT
2018 DAAF : Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair
2018 Outstation Gallery : Darwin,NT
2018 Kick Arts : Cairns, Qld
2018 Tanks Arts Centre : Cairns, Qld
2018 CIAF Indigenous Fashion Performance : Wandan (Future)
2017 CIAF : Cairns Indigenous Art Fair - Curated Exhibition: Family Values
2017 Land of All - Dulka Wangiid : Art Mob, Hobart Tasmania
2016 The Gabori Sisters: Gathering By The Sea : Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, Children Art Centre
2016 CIAF Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal Indigenous Fashion Performance : Virgin Airlines Melbourne Fashion Festival Cultural Program
2016 MI Art, MI Fashion, Mi Models : Where art meets fashion. Virgin Airlines Melbourne Fashion Festival Cultural Program at Alcaston
2016 My Island Home : Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne
2015 CIAF : Cairns Indigenous Art Fair Market
2015 CIAF Indigenous Fashion Performance : Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal (Sea and Rainforest Dreaming)
2015 Currents: Trends & Movements in Queensland Indigenous Art Centres Exhibition : Cairns Tanks Gallery
2015 International Women's Day Exhibition : Tanks Art Gallery
2015 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair : MI Art & Alcaston Gallery
2014 Pencil, Paint, Paper - Seascapes of Bentinck Island : Alcaston, Melbourne
2014 Kinship - A Celebration of Fine Arts from Far North Queensland Indigenous Art Centre : Tanks Art Centre, Cairns
2013 Ngamathungarrba Marraanjuthu Dulka - Mother & Daughters Teach Other About Country : Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne
2013 Macquarie Group Collection Emerging Artists Prize : Sydney, New South Wales
2012 Artists from Bentinck Island & Mornington Island, Queensland : Alcaston Gallery
2012 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair : MI Art & Alcaston Gallery
2012 29th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards : Museums and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin 2012 Arsts From Mornington Island Art : Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne
2011 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair : MI Art & Alcaston Gallery
2011 Mornington Island Arts : KickArts Contemporary Arts, Cairns
2010 Bentinck Is Artworks : Cairns Indigenous Art Fair
2010 Sally Gabori & Daughters, Ngamathungarrba Bakiinda Mirrayalath : At Depot Gallery, Sydney. Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne
Awards:
2012 Telstra Award, Alcaston Gallery/MI Art
2012 Finalist, Macquarie Group Collection Emerging Artist Prize, Sydney, New South Wales
2012 Finalist, 29th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin Bibliography
2013 Kinship - A Celebration of Fine Art From Far North Queensland Indigenous Art Centres, Tanks Art Centre
Collections:
The National Gallery of Victoria, Victoria