Kaliopi (Kelly) Koumalatsos – Australia

Born 1961, Mildura, Victoria

Nationality: Werakaia, Wamba Wamba ((North-West, Australia) and Samos (Argeon Islands, Greece)

“Possum Fur & Diamonds” Printmaking, with possum fur & lino cut

Detail: series of 3 works: 77.5 cm X 35.5 cm, 36 cm X 34.5 cm, 34.5 cm X 44.5 cm

Occupation:

Freelance artist Co- Coordinator, Reconciliation Victoria inc.

Education:

1996-1998 Bachelor of arts (Fine Arts), Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

1994 Bachelor of Arts (Aboriginal Affairs Administration), University of South Australia

Media:

Printmaking, sculpture, painting, mixed media etc

Experiences related to art: Grants and commission:

2003 Sculpture – Diamonds and Zig Zags, City of Melbourne

2002 Production of Possum Skin Cloak, Ballarat Gold Museum

Public Art, Bronze Sculptures, Fitzroy

2001 Possum Skin Cloaks – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, City of Melbourne

2000 Nilumbik Council, Hand Painted, Street Banner

1999 Artwork for Flyer, Nillumbik Shire Council

1999 Talking Together, towards a Reconciled Community

Solo Exhibitions:

2004 Melbourne Museum

2003 Horsham Arts & Crafts Gallery NAIDOC 2003

2001 & 2000 Koorie Heritage Trust

2000 Pitt Space Art Gallery

1999 Eltham Library Gallery

Group Exhibitions:

2004 “Our Place” Benaki Contemporary Cultural Centre, Athens, Greece

2004 Melbourne Museum

2004 Queens Gallery, Parliament House, Melbourne

2001 The Bar St Kilda

2000 Eltham Library Gallery and Koorie Heritage Trust

1999 Pitt Space Art Gallery, Highway Gallery, Linden Gallery, Fitzroy Gallery

1998 Fitzroy Gallery

1997 Northcote Town Hall and Highway Gallery

1996 & 1997 Bakers Café Exhibition space

Important collections:

Numerous Public Artworks collected by Victorian councils, Museums, and Galleries etc

Collected privately.

Artists’ statement:

I utilise modern artistic processes to explore the wider importance of the possum skin cloak making in Victorian tribal communities. These works celebrate the visual identity South East Indigenous culture.

The “Diamonds” are symbols that tell the viewer they are looking at art from South East Australia. These symbols are close to my heart because in the past, we were prevented from practicing out art and culture.