ABSTRACT
‘Avant gardening: Western landscape, ecofeminism and First Nations’ care for country’ connects contemporary environmentalist art with early feminist contributions to notions of deep ecology (such as the work of Australian philosopher Val Plumwood) and First Nations’ spiritual ownership, knowledge and care for/of/with ‘country’—an active colloquialism of Aboriginal English referring to culturally-inherited tracts of land that conveys both place and practices of belonging and belief. The chapter argues that ecofeminism has over several decades challenged Western landscape traditions, particularly the latter’s dualistic framework of nature and culture, to promote a non-anthropocentric praxis that dovetails with First Nations care for country/work on country in a coalitional environmental politics that is particularly relevant today. Artists, curators and curatorial projects discussed include: Australians Tjanpi Desert Weavers from Central Australia and projects based at the Boolarng Nangamai (Together Dreaming) Art Centre, south of Sydney, Patricia Piccinini, Cat Jones, Sasha Grbich, Barbara Campbell, Bonita Ely, Rox de Luca and Sarah Goffman. Alongside, we consider the work of Inuvialuk artist Maureen Gruben, Sámi artist Sissel M. Bergh, Indonesian artists Irene Agrivina and Tita Salina, and US artists Basia Irland, Mary Mattingly, Chrissie Orr and Jeanette Hart-Mann.
