11/09/2018
After collecting over 6,000 fingerprints from athletes and dignitaries during the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, a young Aboriginal artist’s painting has gone on display for the first time at the Royal Australian Mint (the Mint) in Canberra.
Chern’ee Sutton’s nine metre long artwork Caina Putut, IIya, Wartanganha - Long ago, Today, Tomorrow was created during a residency at the Athletes’ Village, with guests including His Royal Highness Prince Charles and Dawn Fraser, AC, MBE, making their mark on the painting.
Sutton said she wanted her artwork, which includes unique black-light and 3D elements, to help educate the world about Australia’s rich history and culture.
“Caina Putut, IIya, Wartanganha means Long ago, Today, Tomorrow in the Kalkadoon language and is a timeline of Australia’s history, from Aboriginal people living alongside megafauna to present day Australia,” said Ms Sutton.
“During the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, dignitaries, athletes and guests placed their fingerprints in 11 large circles representing the 11 days of competition, while medallists added their fingerprints to the gold, silver and bronze circles representing the medals.”
Mark Cartwright, General Manager of Sales and Marketing at the Mint, said that as official medal makers of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, the Mint was proud to continue its connection with the event.
“The Mint is responsible for sharing stories of Australia’s past through the medium of coinage and medals. We have a long history of sharing Australia’s history through specialised medallic art and are proud to promote the unique art created by Chern’ee with visitors to the Mint,” he said.
“Having Chern’ee’s painting on display is also special for staff who worked tirelessly on the production of the Commonwealth Games medals and who can now see these medals represented in such a significant artwork.”
Caina Putut, IIya, Wartanganha - Long ago, Today, Tomorrow will be on display at the Mint from 11 September 2018 until February 2019. Entry to the Mint is free.
For more information about Chern’ee Sutton, please visit www.cherneesutton.com.au.
For more information about the Royal Australian Mint, please visit www.ramint.gov.au.
For media enquiries:
Alice Brown, alice.brown@ramint.gov.au, 0418 164 769 or 6270 3470