Adam Rish

Collaborative indigenous art

Adam Rish has exhibited around Australia over the past 33 years. His interest of cross cultural collaboration as "world art" (like "world music") affirms indigenous culture, regional diversity and the possibility of productive intercultural relations. He takes traditional techniques and adapts them by employing modern images, so for example, cars, planes and television sets may take the place of traditional abstractions of flowers, birds and clouds.

Adam Rish’s work is represented in most of the major collections in this country and has won many awards. He works in collaboration with Aboriginal painters such as Hector Jandany and Lily Karadada from the Kimberley. He also designs textiles including: kilims from Konya, Turkey, ikat weavings from Sumba, tapa cloth, with Palema Tualau in Tonga. 2004 saw New Mexican influenced ceramics made with Mexican potter Lino Alvarez in Hill End, Australia. His 2007 exhibition has been of wooden sculptures made in Bali with I Wayan Sumantra.

Rish’s contribution is to place these events in a contemporary context by inserting the Western elements: thus we see Toyota and Aeroplane Dreamings, a Guirirr Guirirr Ceremony Dewari (devil) appears on the midday show and an owl reads the late, late, news. A Wandjina figure alights from a Weber barbecue flying saucer carrying Erich Von Daniken's guidebook.