Naomi Hobson

Naomi Hobson (born 1979)[1] is an Australian Indigenous artist of southern Kaantju and Umpila heritage from Lockhart River, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Hobson started exhibiting in 2013.[2]

Naomi Hobson is a visual, ceramic and photographic artist known for her contemporary artworks full of vibrant colour and dynamic intricate shapes which imitate nature. Hobson paints her father’s country of the East coastal regions of Cape York Northern Queensland. Hobson’s visual art is an abstract interpretation of her culture and the social and political history of her family and the ancestors before her. Naomi lives and works in the small township of Coen (population 300), where her family connection is strong. The geographical features of the region including the contours of the McIlwraith ranges, the ocean and waterways are prominent in her paintings.[3]

Hobson was winner of The Alice Prize – Australia’s national prize for contemporary art, in 2016. She has been a finalist in many awards including the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award, Sunshine Coast Art Prize and the Geelong Contemporary Art Prize.[2]

Hobson is represented by two galleries, one international – Redot Art Gallery, Singapore and the other a local gallery from Melbourne – Vivien Anderson Gallery.

Early life

Hobson's grandfather named her 'Yikan' after the hoop pine that grows in the McIlwraith Ranges of the east coast of Cape York Peninsula. She grew up in Coen in Far North Queensland, where the natural environment inspired her early artistic works.[4][5] Naomi resides on the riverbed where her grandparents were born. Her home is an old tin shed that was once the village church. Her grandfather was employed as a stockman for a European family. Her mother is from southern Kaantju and her father is Umpila. Her family has historically been involved in political and social reforms such as land rights to return social and economic benefits to the traditional people of Coen.[6]Naomi's art is an expression of her engagement in these reforms by showing culture and country and identity in the artworks. Her inspiration is the richness of many cultures – village life influenced by the merging of traditional and popular culture, farming culture and the experience of the urban chaos of South East Asia.[6]

Career

In 2007 Naomi Hobson began her journey as an emerging artist. Hobson works in a range of mediums, including painting, photography and ceramics.[7] Since 2013, she has held a solo exhibition annually. A first ever solo exhibition, I am Yikan, took its name from her indigenous name, and was an exploration of self identity through bright layers of colour and depictions of the landscape of Cape York. The exhibition at Alcaston Gallery in Fitzroy, was a sold out show and it was opened by Minister Tony Burke who was at the time the Minister for Arts. The exhibition ran from 4 to 28 June 2013.[8] Naomi Hobson is a regular exhibitor at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, In 2018 her first international exhibition New Beginnings, was held in Singapore’s Redot Fine Art Gallery.[6]

Exhibitions and Acquisitions

2013 – I am Yikan – Alcaston Gallery, Fitzroy, Victoria

The first solo exhibition of Naomi Hobson's work explores her connection to her traditional land of the McIlwraith Ranges near Coen, Qld. The paintings are vibrant colourful and distinctive contemporary works.[9]

2018 – Times have Changed – Suzanne O'Connell Gallery[3]

This exhibition depicted how her father's country had deteriorated due to the effects of climate change. It raised awareness of the social and environmental changes related to global warming, climate change and dispossession.

2018 – New Beginnings - Redot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore[6]

Hobson's first international exhibition.

The Bendigo Art Gallery exhibition titled Body Politics: Contemporary Works from the Collection, showcases works from Hobson’s 2018 photographic series Warriors without a Weapon.

The photographs depict portraits of First Nation men from Hobson's country framed through an indigenous lens. The images represent an indigenous identity based on the lived experience of the men. The men are adorned with flowers emphasising their sensitivity and connection to their environment. Hobson's photographs break the stereotype of indigenous men and reframe preconceived narratives based on the Colonial gaze.[10]

2019 – Adolescent Wonderland – Cairns Art Gallery[11]

Hobson's photographic series depicts the fusion of indigenous and popular culture in her home town of Coen NQ, and how it is expressed by adolescents. Hobson's photographs explore how young indigenous people live by the ancient traditions of their culture but are also influenced by social media and what is happening globally. The twenty two photographs explore identity and culture with the playfulness of the age between childhood and teenage years.[12]

Acquisitions

The National Gallery of Australia acquired Hobson's Yinyalma, in 2013.[1]

Place Made: Lockhart River North Queensland , 2012

Materials & Technique: paintings, synthetic polymer paint on canvas

Purchased 2013, NGA 2013.720

Naomi Hobson explains:

“Yinyalma is the language name for the wattle caterpillar from my region and clan, Kaantju. For us, yinyalma signifies an ending season. It’s used as a medicine, when cooked for healing. They can only be found after the wattle flowers have all fallen. The wattle season ends around late August. That’s when the flowers fall. The caterpillar usually make its nest after the flowering season in the trees during August – October. We call this time ka’un mu’u.

Puuku is our language name for wattle tree, the golden wattle tree that yinyalma makes its nest in."

Collections

Selected Awards and Grants
  • Finalist, Gold Coast Art Prize 2013, 2014[2]
  • Finalist 31st Telstra National Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal Art Awards, 2014,[2] 2015, 2016
  • Winner, The Alice Prize, 2016, Australia's National Prize for Contemporary Art.[13]
  • Winner inaugural Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2018 Photography Award.[10]

Education
  • Mainstream Visual Arts, Tropical North Queensland Institute of Tafe, Cairns, 2007
  • Multimedia studies Canberra Institute of Technology, 2005
  • Certificate III in Multimedia, Tropical North Queensland Institute of Tafe, Cairns, 2002[2]

References
  1. Hobson, Naomi. "Yinyalma". Item held by National Gallery of Australia. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  2. Naomi Hobson Saines,Christopher et al. Gallery of Modern Art 2015,pp54-55.PDF
  3. O'Connell, Suzanne (23 June 2020). "Naomi Hobson".
  4. "Artist Profile".
  5. ‘I Am Yikan’ Naomi Hobson Solo Exhibition Flyer. Melbourne: Alcaston Gallery. 2013.
  6. "New Beginnings Catalogue". Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  7. Fairley, Gina. "Review: Naomi Hobson, Adolescent Wonderland, Cairns Art Gallery (QLD)". ArtsHub Australia. Arts Hub. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  8. "Previous Exhibitions: Naomi Hobson: Kanichi – On Top People". Alcaston Gallery.
  9. "I am Yikan". 29 June 2020.
  10. Hobson, Naomi (23 June 2020). "Body Politic".
  11. "Naomi Hobson". 29 June 2020.
  12. "Review: Naomi Hobson, Adolescent Wonderland". 29 June 2020.
  13. Hobson, Naomi (18 June 2020). "Bendigo Art Gallery".
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