Sammy Clarmont
Born in 1972, Sammy Clarmont is one of the founding members of the Lockhart River Art Gang, a group of young Aboriginal Artists from the east coast of Cape York. He started painting in 1997, and in 1998 his work was accepted in the prestigious Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award as a finalist.
Clarmont enjoys working with a variety of mediums, including screen printing, lino printing and painting on canvas. He describes his works as being about "my country and the animals and stories. My art works are contemporary but reflect the traditional culture and isolation of my Community. Most of my art works express my relationship with my country."
The Art Gang's work is a contemporary response to the environment, culture and traditions of this isolated Aboriginal Community. It expresses some of the realities of being Aboriginal and the strong influences of traditional culture and values in their world. They have developed their own forms of expression which are very different from the art of central Australia and other parts of Australia. The art from Lockhart River promotes the cultural identity of young Aboriginal people in contemporary Australian culture.
Exhibitions
2009 'Connecting With Country: The Lockhart River Art Gang', Cairns Regional Gallery
2008 Tchiilpu Wunch Wuncha Wulpaamu: Old Men and Young Men Coming Together for Mens Business with Lockhart River Art Gang, Emerge Art Space, Perth
2008 'Meen'thama (Coming Out for Ceremony)', Woolloongabba Art Gallery
2007 'Our Way: Contemporary Aboriginal Art From Lockhart River', Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
2006 'Gatherings II', Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
Collections
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
ATSIC Permanent Collection, Canberra
Warnambool Art Gallery
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