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Kate Robertson

Melbourne

‘Ho mi ho kui ngung pekong tokunoi riku, hoko kukarei ho kui pokong tokunoi rihetong. Uwa ko, hoi nekong hongowa’a nahamong, ho kui pokong mi, ho pokong itikai yi haha’a roro ngo tawah. Ho korokoro rori hungyo, hoko musimang nekong toku topo inakarei’. ‘When you lose the traditional name, you lose the knowledge of the plant because the traditional name describes the functionality of the plant. Therefore, when we lose our language, we are bound to lose our biodiversity because we can no longer find the value in each plant’. Dr Jeffrey Noro”

Through experimental analogue and digital photographic techniques, Kate explores unseen yet felt phenomena relating to healing and connectedness within community contexts.

Recent exhibitions include From All Points of the Southern Sky: Photography From Australia and Oceania, Southeast Museum of Photography (2020); Bakehouse Billboard Takeover for Centre for Contemporary Photography (2019), Recording the Medicinal Plants of Siwai, Bougainville, Jarvis Dooney Galerie (2018) for European Month of Photography; New Matter, Art Gallery of New South Wales (2016); The Alchemists, Australian Centre for Photography (2015); Garnkiny to Ganyu: Artists who capture the night, GYRACC, Katherine (2015). She has exhibited in Australia, Papua New Guinea, America, United Kingdom, Germany, The Netherlands, China and New Zealand.

In 2018, Kate’s work was published in a book titled Kuna Siwai Pokong, which has been accessioned into the Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery (PNG), Australian Museum (AUS) and Field Museum (USA). Her work is held in numerous collections, including The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AUS), Southeast Museum of Photography (USA) and Center for Creative Photography (USA).

Exhibitions

Kate Robertson

Kuna Siuwai Pokong (Medicinal plants from Siwai)

10 April — 26 June 2021