Station Days : Mervyn Street: Early Days Labour Working People

Mervyn Street is one of the Kimberley's most accomplished and collected artists. He features in both the British Museum and the Australian National Museum. His recent involvement in Desert River Sea at the Art Gallery of Western Australia was a standout and resulted in his artwork being acquired by the gallery as part of their public collection. He is also an author, publisher, illustrator and sculptor who continues to think outside the box using art in a way that surprises and educates the viewer. Mervyn's artwork draws attention to the duality of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people living and working in the Kimberley whilst celebrating the Station and Rodeo way of life. As Mervyn says, 'These stories about working on the cattle station, learning to drove cattle in the Kimberley on my Country. It's also about the labour working people, they worked hard for no wages. But we were building communities on country near the stations. Then all the changes came in, they moved us off the stations and into town, off country. They got rid of the short horn cattle bulls and bought Brahman. I use art to tell my history and Aboriginal people everywhere".

This exhibition shows the breadth of Mervyn's art practice with Mervyn producing illustrations on canvas, tin, cowhides, skulls and hats that capture Kimberley life and Country.
Mervyn is joined by fellow artists Isaac Cherel, Phillip Munda and Hozaus Claire Bidaliji.
PLEASE JOIN MERVYN & SHORT ST GALLERY, FRIDAY AUGUST 16 @ 6PM, ALL WELCOME.