Ngadlu tampinthi ngadlu Kaurna Miyurna yartangka. Munaintya puru purruna ngadlu-itya. Munaintyanangku yalaka tarrkarriana tuntarri.

We acknowledge we are on Kaurna Miyurna land. The Dreaming is still living. From the past, in the present, into the future, forever.

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John Kean

Archive Collections / John Kean

John Kean is an independent writer and curator. His practice bridges natural science, social history and the visual arts.

 John was awarded a PhD in Art History at University of Melbourne in 2023. His thesis Dot, Circle and Frame: How Kaapa Tjampitjinpa, Tim Leura, Clifford Possum and Johnny Warangula created Papunya Tula Art was revised and expanded to become, Dot, Circle and Frame: the making of Papunya Tula art, Upswell Publishing, Perth, 2023.

 During fifteen years as a Producer at Museum Victoria, John worked with curators, designers and multi-media practitioners. His major projects included the first round of exhibitions in the Australia Gallery and Te Pasifika Gallery on the opening of Melbourne Museum, 2000, Treasures of the Museum (62 Gallery based interventions to mark the 150th anniversary of Museum Victoria), 2004, Blandowski’s expedition to the Murray River 1857, co-curated with Tim Stranks, Mildura Arts Centre, 2007 – 2008, The Art of Science: remarkable natural history illustration from Museum Victoria, 2012-15.

 John came to Museum Victoria after a decade producing exhibitions at community-based galleries. He was the Inaugural Exhibition Coordinator at Tandanya: the National Aboriginal Cultural Institute (1989-92), where he worked with Ngarrindjeri artist and curator Kerry Giles. Key projects at Tandanya included Bluey Roberts, River Spirit Dreaming, 1989, East to West: Land in Papunya Tula Painting, 1990, Paper Stone Tin (Kimberley artists and cultural matieral) , Ngura Kutjara/Two Homes, (with Kerry Giles Ernabella arts organsiations), 1991, Nunga, Nunga, Yura, Koorie,1992 as well as several solo exhibitions by Ian W, Abdulla.   His appointment as Exhibition Coordinator at the Fremantle Arts Centre (1993-5) provided further opportunity to explore the relationship between community history and the visual arts, key projects at FAC included Bush Women, 1994, Longitudinal Project, 1995 and various exhibitions by Pantjiti Mary McLean 1993-95.   

 A period spent as Art Advisor at Papunya Tula Artists Pty Ltd, (1977-9) was a formative experience. John is fortunate to have worked closely with this group of charismatic and influential artists who changed the course of Australian art history.

 John ‘s exhibitions as an independent curator include Murrundi: Three River Murray Stories, Adelaide: Contemporary Arts Centre, 1993, City Gallery, Murray Cod: the biggest fish in the river, 2006-2008 for the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery, Crepuscular: the wild animals of Melbourne, 2011, for City of Melbourne.

 John has published extensively on Indigenous art and the representation of nature in Australian museums. His books include John Kean, The art of science: remarkable natural history illustrations from Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Museum Victoria Publications, 2013 and Dot, Circle and Frame: the making of Papunya Tula art, Upswell Publishing, Perth, 2023.

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Series SAMA 926/1 - Audio tapes of biographical information, music and stories from various Australian Aboriginal locations as told by individual people or groups.
Prepared By: 

George Smith and Lea Gardam

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