The
Student Protest Art Series:
is a series of painting's
about the
The following are brief
outlines as per titled piece:-
1.SCRAMBLE FOR MOTHERLAND-is a painting that
depicts the theme of the student protests that occurred in June 2001 that
resulted in (4) dead and reportedly (28) injured following a bloodied shootout
between police and the student protestors at the
To stop government proposals
on:
1.
Government entities privatization, and
2.
Land mobilization Reform for Loan repayments to the world bank and
International Monetary
Funds. The graphical nature of painting
with the textural build-up of corrosive material colors is intended to
emphasize emotional tension. It provides storyline tension with images of a
crowd bearing placards. The same
technique is applied to all the paintings in the series.
2. BEHIND THE ISSUES- Is a figurative phrase
for the student protests inquest. Two major causes for the riots were:
1.
Student leaders being politically bribed to incite the protests.
2.
State was blamed for-
(a) Police brutality
(b) Prime Ministers lack of public relations with
community leaders -
his reluctance
to meet with students leaders.
(c)Misinformation of national issues through lack of
awareness and
public
forums. Images of people behind the bars
represents suppression of free speech and expression, movement and
participation in development.
3. PUBLIC PROTESTORS- This painting is to
highlight the fact that there were also a large crowd of civilians who
participated in the protest. Thus, resulting in one member of the public being
one of the victims that died. I remember
watching scores of youth chanting towards the central business area at town
carrying placards. I joined a small crowd of neighbors running out of our yards
to witness the spectacle. I did not
join but other members of
the public did and the consequences are now part of
PNG History.
4. SPECTATORS-
The painting attempts to portray the fact that there were other members of the
public that indirectly benefited from the riots. Street sellers flourished around the riot
hotspots. Goods were bought and sold
openly such as cigarettes, cold drinks, bettlenuts and lime, and other light snacks. Media covering the riots had a field day with
photos of enterprising hawkers splashed on the front pages.
5. THE
NEGOTIATIONS- When the negotiations to end the protests could not
comprise the SRC Vice President, a female leader took the public limelight to
ease the standoff. This painting
therefore, highlights that standoff period between student and state
authorities.
6. BLOODIED
HORROR- a painting that tries to depict shock and terrified
motions of students caught between the gunfire.
Many eye witness statements reported that students were unarmed within
the campus when they were shot at. Most
of them were male students running between gunshots and tear gas.
7. TERROR
FIGHT- Depicts the next few minutes after the shoot out. The
chaotic scramble amidst a state of anarchy and terror filled hopelessness. It shows images of people running away.
8. THE
SPECTATORS- This painting tries to evaluate whether female UPNG
students were participants or spectators in the riots.
9. THE
MOURNERS- This painting intends to portray the emotional loss
PNG felt in the riots aftermath. We
mourned as a nation a week after the incident.
10. BLACK
WIDOW HAUNTING- Black widows of the
student victims will haunt us as a nation of the economic and social loss by
the riots victims. Black, the colour of
minority. Widow, being women in a
patriarchal society. Haunting, signifies
silent participants of history. A widow
of the student protest will remain a silent victim of PNG History.
Artist’s Statement (from
catalogue PNG Meri Artists Soim Piksa, 1998):
My Interest in art comes
from my family’s traditional background.
I come from Tufi in the Oro Province of Papua New Guinea. The area is famous for its women’s face
tattoos and tapa clothes, the products of traditional women’s arts in the
area. Sadly, after
However, being a woman artist, in terms of being a painter, or
sculptor in the field of Visual Arts, is presently a time of challenge. For me to follow in my great grandmother’s
and grandmother’s footsteps, and put ink on paper instead of on bark and to
make my mark in history is a tremendous and privileged task. This time, instead of using the family, tribe
or clan style, I use my own style incorporating both traditional and western
ideas – thus establishing an individual identity.
My work is influenced by
traditional legends and stories told by my grandparents, most of which are in
our songs and dances.