Kent Morris – karta kartaka (pink cockatoo)

Join us at the gallery on Saturday, 16.O3.2O24 at 2pm for an artist talk by KENT MORRIS, speaking on his new photographic series KARTA KARTAKA (PINK COCKATOO) and the context of his broader artistic practice.

KENT MORRIS IS AN ARTIST OF BARKINDJI AND IRISH HERITAGE LIVING ON YALUKIT WILLAM COUNTRY IN MELBOURNE.

Constructed from photographic images taken at Mutawintji, this new body of work honours karta kartaka – the pink cockatoo – which was recently added to the national threatened species list.

Kent’s photography practice re-imagines and reconstructs shapes and structures to reflect the systems and designs of First Nations knowledge in Australia.

Through digital photographic processes, Kent engages audiences by manipulating technological structures and nature into new forms that reflect Indigenous and western knowledge systems merging together to reinforce shared histories and First Nations cultural continuity since time immemorial.

A pink cockatoo in a hollow tree is part of the two Ngatyi (Rainbow Serpent) Creation story as told by senior storyteller, Alf Barlow (c. 1888 – 1961).  This story recounts how Country was formed by two rainbow serpents travelling, which is deeply significant to Barkindji people and culture.

As Major Thomas Mitchell (1792-1855) was involved in atrocities towards Barkindji people and other First Nations people, particularly the 1836 massacre at Mount Dispersion (now called Mount Dispersion Massacre Site Aboriginal Place), we refrain from using the more common name associated with this bird.