Exhibition – ADNATE – ALWAYS BEEN HERE – Metro Gallery – Armadale

In Art, Exhibitions & Events, Graffiti, International, Melbourne, Street Art
June 12, 2016
Luke McManus
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Next week ADNATE is back with another killer exhibition at Metro Gallery “ALWAYS BEEN HERE”.

The exhibition will feature ADNATE’s Iconic Portraits, this time including some iconic Indigenous Australians.

ADNATE – ALWAYS BEEN HERE

Check out some of the previews below – amazing stuff, in particular I love the Adam Goodes and Samantha Harris portraits!
From the Metro Press Release: “Adnate is considered one of the most influential street artists in Australia and has used his artistic practice to draw focus to the Indigenous peoples of the country. His 2016 exhibition is a powerfully emotive display of the faces he has encountered across Australia. The show poignantly represents the spiritual beauty of Indigenous culture and champions a deep respect for tradition.
When you walk into the gallery you will be confronted by reds, yellows, oranges and that burn with an intensity that reflects the soil, sun and sand of the Australian landscape. Amongst these colours sit large-scale portraits created in striking detail from a mix of aerosol and acrylic paint. As the adage goes; the eyes are the window to the soul. This is particularly true of these paintings. As our gaze plunges into that of the painted youths, we are met with reflections of landscapes. This reveals not only the painful past of their ancestors and a stolen land, but a future full of hope. The youthful faces greet us as Australia’s future – a mixture of innocence, hope, determination, wisdom, bravery and happiness. They tell the journey of a tortuous past, headed toward a more prosperous future.
Adnate has worked closely with a cultural advisor who has aided in his understanding of the strong and spiritual culture of the communities he portrays. Many of the individuals in Always Been Here were met during Adnate’s time recently spent in community of Wurreranginy, otherwise known as ‘Frog Hollow’. The community is located 30 km south of Warmun in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia and serves as a significant inspiration for the show. The substantial moments that Adnate spends with various communities like this allow him to depict its members truthfully, both physically and emotionally. His impeccable skill with a spray-can combined with his unrelenting attention to detail enables Adnate to realise emotionally charged portraits – the faces watch over us with a gaze that doesn’t intimidate, but rather prompts us to question their story.
A key piece in the show is the artists arresting Potrait of Adam Goodes – a proud Andyamathanha and Norungga man who holds an elite place in AFL history and became Australian of the Year in 2014. Dressed in his traditional colours and markings, Adnate has reinforced Goodes’ pride of his own culture and the bravery of a man who proudly confronted the racism directed towards him. His actions on and off the field have proved to be an inspiration for all Australians. Goodes has spoken about his portrait;
“I have been a fan of Matts for a while and to have an artist as unique as he to paint me is a huge honour. I really love the way he makes the eyes tell a story.”

Adnate has included paintings of Indigenous Australian models Samantha Harris and Nathan McGuire, who prompt us to remember how far we have come in challenging existing Western beauty standards. By including high-profile individuals who have been thrust into the national and international spotlight, he emphasises their contribution to the wider recognition of Australia’s Indigenous community. Harris was moved by her portrait, stating;

“I am in awe of how Adnate has captured me on this canvas. I am proud to be a part of this exhibition and to represent the spiritual and cultural beauty of my Indigenous heritage.”

Always Been Here reveals to its viewers the idea that Indigenous culture is there for all of us to share, as it acknowledges a country working in unison toward a brighter future. Adnate has worked with caution and respect, thus creating sublime portraits whose honest, raw emotion surpass their technical craftsmanship”.