Elizabeth Durack
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Durack Clancy CMG, OBE (6 July 1915 – 25 May 2000) was a Western Australia
n artist and writer.
suburb of Claremont
on 6 July 1915, she was a daughter of noted Kimberley pioneer, Michael Patrick Durack
(1865–1950) and his wife, Bessie Johnstone Durack. She was the younger sister of writer and historian Dame Mary Durack
(1913–1994). The sisters were educated at the Loreto Convent in Perth, and also on the Kimberley cattle stations, Argyle Downs
and Ivanhoe
. It was there that they established unique and enduring relationships with the Mirriuwong-Gajerrong
people of the Ord River
region. In 1936-37 the sisters travelled to Europe where Elizabeth studied at the Chelsea Polytechnic, London
.
, Arthur Boyd, Albert Tucker, et al. Separated by both geography and gender, her talent emerged "... original, versatile and persistent, a xerophytic adaptation, almost, to a particularly harsh environment".
From August 1946 when she held her first exhibition in Perth, to July 2000 when an exhibition planned by the artist was held posthumously in London, Elizabeth Durack held 65 solo exhibitions and participated in many group shows. Over that time her art evolved from simple line drawings, through part-abstract metaphorical works, to the transcendent works of her last creative phase.
Durack's work included a number of dyeline prints, hand coloured in watercolour, depicting life on a Kimberley cattle station (Ivanhoe
and Lissadell pastoral stations). Aboriginal women and children feature in these pictures, four of which can be seen at the National Museum of Australia
.
(OBE) in 1966 and in 1982, a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
(CMG). In 1994 and 1996 Murdoch University
and the University of Western Australia
conferred upon her Honorary Doctorates of Letters.
" began to appear on the Aboriginal art scene and in 1997 it was found Burrup was the pseudonym of Elizabeth Durack who considered Burrup her "alter ego
". Durack freely assumed the right to make Aboriginal art as Burrup. This was not appreciated by other Aboriginal artists nor the gallery owner who represented "Burrup". Durack continued to make art as Eddie Burrup until her death on 25 May 2000, aged 84.
Since her death, executors have arranged exhibitions as follows:
Elizabeth was interviewed and featured on numerous radio and TV shows including 60 minutes
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
n artist and writer.
Early life
Born in the PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
suburb of Claremont
Claremont, Western Australia
Claremont is a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia on the north bank of the Swan River.-History:Prior to European settlement, the Noongar people used the area as a source of water, for fishing and for catching waterfowl. In 1830, John Butler, a settler, set up an inn at Freshwater Bay to...
on 6 July 1915, she was a daughter of noted Kimberley pioneer, Michael Patrick Durack
Michael Durack
Michael Patrick Durack, was a pastoralist, and Western Australian pioneer. He was the son of Patrick Durack and Mary Costello, both Irish-Australians....
(1865–1950) and his wife, Bessie Johnstone Durack. She was the younger sister of writer and historian Dame Mary Durack
Mary Durack
Dame Mary Durack AC DBE was an Australian author and historian. She wrote Kings in Grass Castles and Keep Him My Country.-Childhood:...
(1913–1994). The sisters were educated at the Loreto Convent in Perth, and also on the Kimberley cattle stations, Argyle Downs
Argyle Downs
Argyle Downs is a pastoral lease and cattle station located about south east of Kununurra in the Kimberley region near the border of Western Australia and Northern Territory. It is operated by the Consolidated Pastoral Company....
and Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe Station
Ivanhoe or Ivanhoe Station is a pastoral lease and cattle station located just north of Kununurra in the Kimberley region of Western Australia....
. It was there that they established unique and enduring relationships with the Mirriuwong-Gajerrong
Miriwoong language
Miriwoong is an Australian Indigenous language which today has about 20 speakers, most of whom live in or near Kununurra in Western Australia....
people of the Ord River
Ord River
The Ord River is a 320-kilometre-long river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It was named in honour of Harry Ord, Governor of Western Australia from 1877 to 1880....
region. In 1936-37 the sisters travelled to Europe where Elizabeth studied at the Chelsea Polytechnic, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Art
Her work was notable for the way it combined and reflected both western and aboriginal perceptions of the world. Based for much of her life in remote parts of north and central Western Australia, far from the metropolitan centers of mainstream artistic activity, Durack received stimulus and inspiration from sources quite different from those of her contemporaries, e.g. William DobellWilliam Dobell
Sir William Dobell, OBE was an Australian artist .The electoral Division of Dobell is named after him.- Life :...
, Arthur Boyd, Albert Tucker, et al. Separated by both geography and gender, her talent emerged "... original, versatile and persistent, a xerophytic adaptation, almost, to a particularly harsh environment".
From August 1946 when she held her first exhibition in Perth, to July 2000 when an exhibition planned by the artist was held posthumously in London, Elizabeth Durack held 65 solo exhibitions and participated in many group shows. Over that time her art evolved from simple line drawings, through part-abstract metaphorical works, to the transcendent works of her last creative phase.
Durack's work included a number of dyeline prints, hand coloured in watercolour, depicting life on a Kimberley cattle station (Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe Station
Ivanhoe or Ivanhoe Station is a pastoral lease and cattle station located just north of Kununurra in the Kimberley region of Western Australia....
and Lissadell pastoral stations). Aboriginal women and children feature in these pictures, four of which can be seen at the National Museum of Australia
National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia was formally established by the National Museum of Australia Act 1980. The National Museum preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation....
.
Honours and awards
In recognition of services to art and literature, Elizabeth Durack was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE) in 1966 and in 1982, a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(CMG). In 1994 and 1996 Murdoch University
Murdoch University
Murdoch University is a public university based in Perth, Australia. It began operations as the state's second university in 1973, and accepted its first students in 1975...
and the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
conferred upon her Honorary Doctorates of Letters.
Controversy
In the 1990s, artworks by indigenous artist "Eddie BurrupEddie Burrup
Eddie Burrup was an Indigenous Australian pseudonym of Anglo-Australian painter Elizabeth Durack.Pictures, photographs and writings of Eddie Burrup begun to appear in 1994. Burrup was supposedly a former farm worker who was born 1915 in Western Australia and had begun to paint later in life. He...
" began to appear on the Aboriginal art scene and in 1997 it was found Burrup was the pseudonym of Elizabeth Durack who considered Burrup her "alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
". Durack freely assumed the right to make Aboriginal art as Burrup. This was not appreciated by other Aboriginal artists nor the gallery owner who represented "Burrup". Durack continued to make art as Eddie Burrup until her death on 25 May 2000, aged 84.
Legacy
The estate of Elizabeth Durack contains original material from the 1920s on through all decades up until the year 2000. The material consists principally of artworks, manuscripts, poetry and letters. During her lifetime Durack held many successful exhibitions but resisted selling certain key works that remain with the estate. Rare among artists, she produced her best work late in life.Since her death, executors have arranged exhibitions as follows:
- The Art of Eddie Burrup presented by the Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London in July 2000;
- Prelude — Early works by Elizabeth Durack 1947–50, a Travelling Exhibition, presented by Art on the Move, the National Exhibitions Touring Structure for Western Australia, in 2002–3
- an auction presented by McKenzies Auctioneers, Perth, May 2006;
- a sale of miscellaneous printed and original material, presented by Robert Muir Old and Rare Books, Perth, July 2006;
- paintings from the series, Battle Cries (1978) and Bett-Bett's wonderful lonely palace ... (1985) presented by Greenhill Galleries, Perth, May 2007
- With outstretched arms ... Kimberley Sisters of St John of God with children, patients and friends in postwar BroomeBroome, Western AustraliaBroome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season...
, DerbyDerby, Western AustraliaDerby is a town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, Derby had a population of 3,093. Along with Broome and Kununurra, it is one of only three towns in the Kimberley to have a population over 2,000...
and Beagle Bay presented by Forty7ED at the Lingiari Foundation Centre, Broome Western Australia, July 2007.
Elizabeth was interviewed and featured on numerous radio and TV shows including 60 minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
External links
- Official Elizabeth Durack Archival Site
- Video interview
- National Museum of Australia Dyeline prints of Kimberley scenes.