Craft / “Piinpi: Contemporary Indigenous Fashion”, National Museum of Australia, until August 8. Reviewed by
MEREDITH HINCHLIFFE.
BENDIGO Art Gallery is known nationally for its exhibitions of fashions, and “Piinpi” is another wonderful show of Australian indigenous fashion, showing at the National Museum of Australia.
The word “Piinpi” is lyrical in form and meaning. It captures and describes “a sacred connection between people, place and land”. Of course, it is far more than that – it is the land talking to the local people who inhabit it, the cultural knowledge that guides much of their lives.
This is a celebratory exhibition. It is exuberant, joyous, and colourful. It honours many older women, and I was particularly impressed by the fact that Peggy Griffiths is modelling “Legacy Dress”, to which several artists have contributed. The multiple frills are hand-blocked printed on linen and cotton. Ms Griffiths is a highly respected elder, artist and cultu