Erub Arts is an arts community focused on preserving and promoting the traditional culture of the Erubam Le people, native to Darnley Island in the Torres Strait, Australia. The community celebrates traditional stories related to their connection to their ancestral land, sea, and sky, while addressing the contemporary challenges they face. Erub Arts engages with four clans in the region, creating a platform for intercultural creative collaboration.
Source: Photo by Lynnette Griffiths
In the early 1990s, the group was known as EKKILAU, meaning "Erub men and women at work." Through their art, they sought to celebrate and preserve their cultural heritage, creating works that reflected their connection to the natural world. In 2011, Erub Arts officially became the first arts centre in the Torres Strait, focusing on developing arts skills, education, and providing career and entrepreneurial opportunities for the local community.
Source: 1) Photo by Lynnette Griffiths, 2) SpaceJakarta Documentation
Erub Arts continues to thrive through a collaborative approach, both within the community and with artists from outside. One of their exhibitions is "Ghost Nets: Awakening the Drifting Giants," which is on display at the Jakarta Maritime Museum. This exhibition features hand-woven sculptures in the form of marine animals made from ghost nets, or discarded, drifting nets that endanger marine life. These works not only showcase their creative side but also convey an important message about environmental conservation.
Source: SpaceJakarta Team Documentation at the Maritime Museum
With a variety of educational programs for various age groups and creative opportunities, Erub Arts plays a significant role in empowering the Erubam Le community, while introducing their culture to the international world through meaningful and meaningful art.
---
Reference:
1. Curatorial Introduction to the Ghost Nets Exhibition
2. Erub Arts Website (www.erubarts.com.au)
Written by Noverdy R
