Aboriginal Healing,
Sharing Culture |
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Cathy, Revel Cooper's niece on her father's side, explained that she had received a pile of government paperwork about Revel which were attached to her own Native Affairs papers she had requested. She knew this was a sign that she had to do something, but didn't know what to do at the time.
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Our Story began when Michael Liu and David Clark were first introduced to the Carrolup artists and their paintings during the production of a video yarn with Karen Hume and Marion Kickett. We were stunned by the beauty of the paintings and beguiled by the Carrolup stories these two amazing women conveyed.
A short time later, Mike was compelled to start making a half hour pop art styled documentary about this Story using 8mm film, video cameras and mobile phone footage to be aired on local television. However, after a chance meeting with Cathy Coomer on the Matagarup shores of the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River), Mike realised that the project had turned into a much bigger one that would have a wide international appeal. Cathy, Revel Cooper's niece on her father's side, explained that she had received a pile of government paperwork about Revel which were attached to her own Native Affairs papers she had requested. She knew this was a sign that she had to do something, but didn't know what to do at the time. Cathy's chance meeting with Mike brought together three kindred spirits with big hearts for social justice. Michael soon met Professor Sandy Toussaint who introduced him to legal expert Dr Kate Auty, who arranged with the Hon Wayne Martin AC, Chief Justice of Western Australia, for them (and Cathy) to view 1952 papers from the Supreme Court pertaining to Revel Cooper. Since that time, many unexplained coincidences have occurred and many more people have come on board to support this important project. |
In developing the Revel project, we are aiming to:
During our research phase, we have been involved in a range of activities. We have been researching various aspects of Revel's life and tracking down his art and the people who knew him. We've been learning more about other young artists whose talents blossomed in Carrolup. We've been searching various libraries and records offices for documents and letters, hunting for Revel's artworks, and visited galleries, museums and government organisations... and a few out-of-the-way places. We have spent time in a prison and a Supreme Court, and visited a murder scene. One of the country's leading genealogists, Jan James, has traced Revel's and Cathy's ancestry and shown how the families are related. We continue to help Cathy search for Revel's family with the aim of connecting them and celebrating together Revel's artworks. |
This video yarn, which Mike and David made in 2014, tells an unknown Story of reciprocity. Three of the Carrolup artists - Revel Cooper, Parnell Dempster and Reynold Hart - gave gifts of their paintings to Ida Colbung for providing a place to stay during their visits to East Perth in the 1940s. These ‘paintings from the heart’ were passed down to Ida’s granddaughter Karen Hume, who relates the Story to Marion Kickett.
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Paintings from the Heart from David Clark on Vimeo. |