Ian Abdulla | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1947 (1947) |
| Died | 29 January 2011 (aged 63–64) |
| Other names | Mr Ian W. Abdullah |
| Known for | Painting,contemporary Indigenous Australian art |
Ian Abdulla (1947 – 29 January 2011) was anAboriginal Australiancontemporary artist. ANgarrindjeri man who grew up on the banks of theMurray inSouth Australia, he has been called Australia's greatestnaive artist.[1]
Abdulla was born in 1947 atSwan Reach, on the Murray River, in theMurraylands region of South Australia.[2] His art depicts the landscape and activities of this area, with a strong storytelling element.
In 1988, Abdulla learnedprintmaking at a workshop inGlossop,[2] and the following year he began painting.[2] In 1991 Abdulla was named South Australian Aboriginal Artist of the Year, and was awarded anAustralia Council Fellowship in 1992.[3] His book,As I Grew Older was awarded the Australian Multicultural Children's Literature Award in 1994 and,Tucker was short-listed for theChildren's Book Council Eve Pownall Award for Information Books in 1995.[4]
Abdulla's work featured on the cover of theWorld Health Organization's annual report.[5] His works have been exhibited around the world and form part of the permanent collection at theArt Gallery of South Australia and theArt Gallery of New South Wales.[6][7]
On the morning of 29 January, at the age of 63, he died at theBerri Hospital, South Australia after a brief battle with cancer. His family was by his side.[8]
His works are distinct for their juxtaposition of text and image against a flattened foreground. Abdulla's handpainted annotations briefly describe the scene depicted and are placed dead centre at the top of his paintings.[9][10]
River, Land, Memory: the work of Ian Abdulla, Adelaide Festival of Arts, on display at the Flinders University Art Museum, 2002.Nicholls, Christine, 2002, River, Land and Memory, The Work of Ian Abdulla, In Conversation: Ian Abdulla and Christine Nicholls, in exhibition catalogue River, Land and Memory, The Work of Ian Abdulla, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
March 2002, Interview of Ian Abdulla and Christine Nicholls, with Ian Henscke, ABC Television, South Australia.
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