Understanding the past

The Aboriginal identity worked for two years on his final collection, Bones of Contention, before he passed away last December.

Yesterday, the unique spirit of the adored Border artist and storyteller was reignited at the opening of the Bones of Contention exhibition at Art Space Wodonga.

Mr Kneebone’s daughter, Leanda, said the 32-piece display captured the essence of what her father was about.

“Dad was always saying that you have to understand the past in order to move forward,” she said.

“These paintings capture that message to a tee.”

With the ethos that a picture could tell a thousand words, Mr Kneebone’s collection traces the past 100 years of early contact, conflict and settlement within the North East.

Simplistically executed, the paintings portray a core sadness that is offset by the vibrant colour and humour within each painting.

Miss Kneebone said her father, who was 58 when he died of diabetes complications, would have loved to have seen the artworks on display.

“I remember him painting these works at two in the morning when he was very sick,” she said.

“This had become his ultimate passion.”

From 1999, Mr Kneebone was Wodonga TAFE’s artist-in-residence, a role which incorporated teaching in the Aboriginal visual arts program.

The institute’s chief executive, Denise O’Brien, said Mr Kneebone had a far reaching impact on students, especially indigenous pupils in the art program.

“Eddie influenced not only their development as artists but as people who were given the chance to acknowledge and celebrate their aboriginality,” she said.

A DVD with commentary from Mr Kneebone describing his work will be played during the exhibition.

Bones of Contention is being held at Art Space Wodonga, on the corner of Lawrence and Hovell Streets, Wodonga.

The exhibition will run until July 8 and is open from 9.30am to 6pm on weekdays and from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Saturdays.

For more information, contact Art Space Wodonga, (02) 6022 9600.