Robert Fielding (born 1959) is an Australian artist based in Mimili, South Australia. He is known for his recent series of photographs of wrecked cars and other discarded objects upon which he has painted colourful designs.
Early life
editFielding was born in Port Lincoln, South Australia, in 1959. His mother, Grieve Fielding, is of Afghan/Pakistani[1] (from the early Afghan cameleers in Australia[2]) and Western Arrernte descent. His father, Bruce Fielding was a Yankunytjatjara man from Aputula, who was forcibly removed from his home at Lilla Creek as a child (one of the Stolen Generations[3]) and taken to Colebrook Home in Quorn, South Australia. Robert was one of 12 children.[1]
Career
editFielding works across several mediums, including installations, photography, painting,[4] film and sculpture.[2] and is based at Mimili Maku Arts. He has also developed skills in writing, curating, and installing exhibitions.[4]
He conducted research in the archives of museums across Australia as part of the Australia Council for the Arts' Signature Works Innovation Lab.[4] During the closure of APY Lands during the COVID-19 pandemic, worked on Fielding led a research project with the South Australian Museum focusing on intergenerational learning and cultural maintenance.[5]
Fielding has created photographs of abandoned objects of modern life such as wrecked cars, decorated with Aboriginal artistic motifs and references to his community, which have featured in exhibitions, such as the installation entitled Holden On which featured in the 4th National Indigenous Art Triennial.[6][3]
Fielding created a series of photographs called Mayatjara, comprising photographs of traditional owners, respected leaders and elders, advocates and artists from the APY Lands. It went on display at the Ballarat International Foto Biennale at the Art Gallery of Ballarat in 2021, and was being acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra in August 2022.[7]
Recognition and awards
edit- 2015: Winner, NATSIAA Telstra Work on Paper Award[7]
- 2015: Winner, Desart Photography Prize[7]
- 2017: Finalist, Macquarie Group Foundation First Nations Emerging Curator Award,[7] which gave him the opportunity to undertake an exchange to Canada[4]
- 2017: Winner, NATSIAA Telstra Work on Paper Award[7]
- 2019: Winner, Banyule Award for Work on Paper[7]
- 2024: Finalist, Archibald Prize[8]
- 2024: Finalist, Hadley's Art Prize[9]
- 2024: Winner, Bowness Photography Prize[10]
Personal life
editFielding has eight children with his partner,[1] one of whom is musician and artist Zaachariaha Fielding, of the electronic musical duo Electric Fields.[11]
As of August 2022[update] he lives at Mimili Community in Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY Lands).[7]
In film
editFielding is interviewed in the 2018 SBS/NITV documentary, "Voice From The Desert", part of the Our Stories series, featuring his son's duo Electric Fields.[12]
The 2019 short film "Electric Mimili", part of the Deadly Family Portrait series, was shown on ABC Television and iview. This film, directed by Isaac Cohen Lindsay and produced by Sierra Schrader, focuses on Fielding and son Zaachariaha's family and life in Mimili, and how both father and son have been influenced by these.[13]
Exhibitions
editGroup exhibitions
edit- 2018: A Lightness of Spirit is the Measure of Happiness, at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art in Melbourne; featuring 10 specially commissioned works by Aboriginal artists of south-east Australia, including Fielding, Vincent Namatjira, Yhonnie Scarce, Kaylene Whiskey and others.[14]
- 2020: Tarnanthi tour of KulataTjuta (Many Spears) at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rennes, France[7]
- December 2021 – March 2022: (un)learning Australia at Seoul Museum of Art, co-curated with Artspace in Sydney[15]
- 2022: Ceremony: National Indigenous Art Triennial at the National Gallery of Australia[7][6]
Solo exhibitions
edit- 2018 Graveyards in Between, blackartprojects, Melbourne
- 2018: First international solo exhibition, at the Fondation Opale in Switzerland,[4][3]
- 2020: Routes / Roots, Linden New Art, Melbourne
- 2021: Manta, blackartprojects, Melbourne
Collections
editFielding's work is held in major collections, including:
References
edit- ^ a b c "Robert Fielding". Glenelg Art Gallery. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Robert Fielding". Linden New Art. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b c "Robert Fielding". Fondation Opale. 3 January 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Robert Fielding". Mimili Maku. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ "Mimili". Linden New Art. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Robert Fielding". National Gallery of Australia. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Annual Appeal". National Portrait Gallery (Australia). 29 June 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ "Archibald Prize Archibald 2024 work: Mayatja (keeper of song and culture) by Robert Fielding". Art Gallery of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ "From Tasmanian cliffs to pig-nosed turtles: $100,000 Hadley's Art prize – in pictures". The Guardian. 2 August 2024. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "Robert Fielding wins the 2024 Bowness Photography Prize". Art Guide Australia. 12 September 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ "Electric Fields' Zaachariaha Fielding wins Ramsay Art fan prize for 'gremlins' painting". ABC News (Australia). 12 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ Marsh, Walter (11 December 2018). "South Australian duo Electric Fields star in new SBS documentary". The Adelaide Review. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
- ^ Tan, Teresa (31 August 2019). "Electric Fields' Zaachariaha Fielding and artist Robert Fielding reflect on Anangu spirit and connection to country". ABC News Australia. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
- ^ "A Lightness of Spirit is the Measure of Happiness". Australian Arts Review. 3 July 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ Digital, Atlas (14 December 2021). "Offsite - 경로를 재탐색합니다 UN/LEARNING AUSTRALIA". ArtSpace. Retrieved 3 August 2022.