Jarra Karalinar Steel
In my artistic practice I explore my identity, memories and folklore from my cultural history, pop culture and lived experiences growing up in Melbourne and living on country in a culture with knowledge passed down from my family.
I translate all that through my own contemporary lens, evolving it respectfully in whatever form I wish it to take and using personal iconography to create objects using natural materials (emu eggs), found objects and computer-aided design.
Over the last few years I have embraced vibrant colours. The main colours I use are inspired by the blue sky, native wattles, Kangaroo Apple flowers and Pigface flowers. I use these for many personal reasons, one of which is to draw the eye to the unseen parts of myself and the stories I create through my art. I’m also interested in the idea that Magenta (the colour of Pigface flowers) doesn’t exist, and yet I’m extremely drawn to it.
My focus currently is towards public and community art, and looking at ways to insert contemporary cultural visual language into urban and digital landscapes, reclaiming space and belonging through creating future folklore using digital 3D-sculptures and Augmented Reality.
Please go to http://www.possumspirits.com for my AR Possum Spirits.
Life in Here - Blakheart Festival, 2019
Emu egg, photoshop
Karalinar, 2018
Dried wattle, pink builders line, steel grid fence
You Don't Look Aboriginal, 2018
Emu egg, Das clay base painted gold
Yirramboi Hoarding, 2019
Emu egg, graphic design
WALERT MURRUP (Possum Spirits), 2020
Augmented reality
