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TRAPS, TACKLE AND GEAR

‘Gone Fishing’

From inland freshwater regions to the ocean and islands of the Torres Strait, there are many specifically engineered tools and methods for catching a feed. These multifunctional objects are represented through cultural objects, paintings, sculptures and installation. The artworks here speak to the practical nature of fishing and include a range of spears, canoes and nets.

An installation of woven fish traps from the Maningrida region (Arnhem Land, Northern Territory) demonstrates regionally specific techniques that were perfected by hundreds of generations of the artists’ ancestors, bespoke to each environment and species of food source. Here, they are also celebrated as uniquely modelled forms of aesthetic beauty.

 

A cropped installation view of five woven fish traps made in varying earth-tones.

Installation view including five pandanus works: Fish trap 2004 and Fish trap 2004 (Sally Garrimarra / Ganalbingu people / Australia, b.1967 / Purchased 2004. Queensland Art Gallery Foundation / © Sally Garrimarra/Copyright Agency) and Shirley Malgarrich’s (Burarra/Anbarra peoples / Australia b.1947) Jina-bakara (fish trap) 2004 (Purchased 2004. Queensland Art Gallery Foundation / © Shirley Malgarrich), Fish trap 2004 and Fish trap 2004 (Purchased 2004. The Queensland Government's special Centenary Fund / © Shirley Malgarrich) / All works Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art / Photograph: Natasha Harth, QAGOMA

 

Sculptural fish and yabbie traps by Mandandanji artist Laurie Nilsen cleverly use discarded materials to create functional devices. Upcycled pedestal fans, chicken wire and even Sunlight soap were, according to the artist, all you needed to catch a feed — before the traps themselves became congested with more debris than food. Here, Nilsen has invoked images of a disposable lifestyle, overrun with plastic and endangering the natural environment.

These diverse sculptural works are complemented with paintings by senior artist Regina Pilawuk Wilson, who meticulously charts the geometric forms of woven netting onto canvas, illustrating delicate and geometric perspectives to these sturdy objects.

 

 

Objects included in ‘Traps, tackle and gear’:

 

Artwork Two yabbie spirits and waterholes this artwork made of Natural pigments on bark, created in 1994-01-01

Two yabbie spirits and waterholes 1994
Artwork Wollobi (Standing fish net) this artwork made of Knotted sand palm (Livistona inermis) leaf string with wooden struts, created in 2007-01-01

Wollobi (Standing fish net) 2007
Artwork Low water hunting ground this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 2005-01-01

Low water hunting ground 2005
Artwork Mawunjuru - Big Mullet this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 2005-01-01

Mawunjuru - Big Mullet 2005
Artwork Fish trap this artwork made of Twined pandanus palm leaf (Pandanus spiralis) with natural dyes, created in 2004-01-01

Fish trap 2004
Artwork Fish trap this artwork made of Twined pandanus palm leaf (Pandanus spiralis) with natural dyes, created in 2004-01-01

Fish trap 2004
Artwork An-gujechiya (Fish trap) this artwork made of Twined jungle vine (Malaisia scandens), created in 2006-01-01

An-gujechiya (Fish trap) 2006
Artwork Ningher (reed canoe) this artwork made of Reeds (Phragmites australis) and hand-rolled string made from seagrass cord and jute twine; wood, created in 2020-01-01

Ningher (reed canoe) 2020
Artwork An-gujechiya (conical fish trap) this artwork made of Twined jungle vine (Malaisia scandens), created in 2001-01-01

An-gujechiya (conical fish trap) 2001
Artwork Fish trap this artwork made of Twined pandanus palm leaf (Pandanus spiralis) with natural dyes, created in 2003-01-01

Fish trap 2003
Artwork Jina-bakara (fish trap) this artwork made of Twined pandanus palm leaf, bark fibre string, wood, created in 2005-01-01

Jina-bakara (fish trap) 2005
Artwork An-gujechiya (Fish trap) this artwork made of Twined pandanus palm leaf (Pandanus spiralis) with natural dyes, created in 2006-01-01

An-gujechiya (Fish trap) 2006
Artwork An-gujechiya (Fish trap) this artwork made of Twined sedge grass (Cyperus sp.) with wood and bark fibre string, created in 2007-01-01

An-gujechiya (Fish trap) 2007
Artwork Eel trap this artwork made of Coil-woven sedge grass, river rushes, created in 2007-01-01

Eel trap 2007
Artwork Eel trap this artwork made of Coil-woven sedge grass, river rushes, created in 2007-01-01

Eel trap 2007
Artwork Yabbie trap this artwork made of Coil-woven sedge grass, river rushes, created in 2008-01-01

Yabbie trap 2008
Artwork Walipun (Fish net) this artwork made of Looped merrepen (Sand palm) fibre, natural dyes with bamboo, created in 2008-01-01

Walipun (Fish net) 2008
Artwork Pearling days this artwork made of Colour linocut on paper, created in 2002-01-01

Pearling days 2002
Artwork An-gujechiya (Fish trap) this artwork made of Twined jungle vine (Malaisia scandens), created in 2006-01-01

An-gujechiya (Fish trap) 2006
Artwork Fish trap this artwork made of Twined pandanus palm leaf (Pandanus spiralis) with natural dyes, created in 2004-01-01

Fish trap 2004
Artwork Fish trap this artwork made of Twined pandanus palm leaf (Pandanus spiralis) with natural dyes, created in 2004-01-01

Fish trap 2004
Artwork Jina-bakara (fish trap) this artwork made of Twined pandanus palm leaf (Pandanus spiralis), natural dyes and bark fibre string, created in 2004-01-01

Jina-bakara (fish trap) 2004
Artwork Mandjabu (conical fish trap) this artwork made of Twined jungle vine (Malaisia scandens), created in 2001-01-01

Mandjabu (conical fish trap) 2001
Artwork An-gujechiya (Fish trap) this artwork made of Twined jungle vine (Malaisia scandens), created in 2006-01-01

An-gujechiya (Fish trap) 2006
Artwork An-gujechiya (Fish trap) this artwork made of Twined jungle vine (Malaisia scandens), created in 2006-01-01

An-gujechiya (Fish trap) 2006
Artwork An-gujechiya (Fish trap) this artwork made of Twined jungle vine (Malaisia scandens), created in 2007-01-01

An-gujechiya (Fish trap) 2007
Artwork Dhangal um ariak this artwork made of Screenprint, hand-coloured on paper, created in 2000-01-01

Dhangal um ariak 2000
Artwork Wungarr (eel trap) this artwork made of Twined lawyer vine, created in 2005-01-01

Wungarr (eel trap) 2005
Artwork Fish trap this artwork made of Twined pandanus palm leaf (Pandanus spiralis) with natural dyes, created in 2004-01-01

Fish trap 2004
Artwork Once were Fishermen I this artwork made of Barbed wire, wire mesh, enamel paint, food packaging and household debris, created in 2014-01-01

Once were Fishermen I 2014
Artwork Once were Fishermen II this artwork made of Wire mesh, bicycle tyre frames, PVC piping, cable ties, netting, food packaging, created in 2014-01-01

Once were Fishermen II 2014
Artwork Baited this artwork made of Fan covers, enamel paint, electrical wire and Sunlight soap, created in 2010-01-01

Baited 2010
Artwork An-gujechiya (Fish trap) this artwork made of Twined jungle vine (Malaisia scandens), created in 2006-01-01

An-gujechiya (Fish trap) 2006
Artwork All kind fish 2/8 this artwork made of Monoprint on Hahnemüle paper, created in 2022-01-01

All kind fish 2/8 2022
Artwork All kind fish 8/8 this artwork made of Monoprint on Hahnemüle paper, created in 2022-01-01

All kind fish 8/8 2022
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Milay Galka-Djada: Bone barbed spear and spear thrower 2022
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Milay Galka-Djada: Blade spear and spear thrower 2022
Artwork Weris (Fish scoop) this artwork made of Bamboo and cotton cord, created in 2004-01-01

Weris (Fish scoop) 2004
Artwork Whaleboat this artwork made of Painted timber, twine, cloth, metal hooks, nylon line, beads, created in 2014-01-01

Whaleboat 2014
Artwork Textile length: Pearl lugger and diver's helmet this artwork made of White commercial cotton fabric, block printed in dark blue and dark green, created in 2000-01-01

Textile length: Pearl lugger and diver's helmet 2000, printed 2002
Artwork Sea of Plenty this artwork made of Commercial cotton fabric, block printed, created in 2010-01-01

Sea of Plenty 2010
Artwork An-gujechiya (Fish trap) this artwork made of Twined pandanus palm leaf (Pandanus spiralis) and synthetic twine with natural dyes, created in 2006-01-01

An-gujechiya (Fish trap) 2006
Artwork An-gujechiya (Fish trap) this artwork made of Twined pandanus palm leaf (Pandanus spiralis) and synthetic twine with natural dyes, created in 2006-01-01

An-gujechiya (Fish trap) 2006
Artwork Warrgarri (String weave) this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 2003-01-01

Warrgarri (String weave) 2003
Artwork Syaw (Fish net) this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 2004-01-01

Syaw (Fish net) 2004

 

Explore ‘Gone Fishing’ 

 

An installation view that appears as a large midden of white shells piled in front of a white gallery wall, in a corner.
GONE FISHING

SEA RIGHTS: Politics, lore and custom

Read digital story
A colourful abstract artwork by First Nations artist Naomi Hobson, painted using traditional techniques.
GONE FISHING

ALONG THE SHORELINE

Read digital story
A painting made in natural pigments depicting abstract waterways.
GONE FISHING

Gone Fishing

Read ESSAY
GONE FISHING

Explore the story

An installation view that appears as a large midden of white shells piled in front of a white gallery wall, in a corner.
GONE FISHING

SEA RIGHTS: Politics, lore and custom

Read digital story
A cropped installation view of five woven fish traps made in varying earth-tones.
GONE FISHING

TRAPS, TACKLE AND GEAR

Read digital story
A colourful abstract artwork by First Nations artist Naomi Hobson, painted using traditional techniques.
GONE FISHING

ALONG THE SHORELINE

Read digital story
A painting made in natural pigments depicting abstract waterways.
GONE FISHING

Gone Fishing

Read ESSAY