Artist David Doyle's two shields, known as 'Kaaku-Kaakulinya: Eternal Sentinels', brought a sense of resilience and strength to Bondi for Sculpture by the Sea.
A Barkindji and Malyangapa man, Mr Doyle's 1.8 and 1.9 metres long art pieces embody the foundation of what Aboriginal shields represent to him as they looked out into the ocean on Tamarama beach from October 16 to November 2.
Made out of cast iron, the shields reflect the enduring Aboriginal culture, standing as sentinels grounded in Country. It explores the themes of protection, perseverance, and the continuation of Indigenous culture and references the erosion of history due to colonisation.
"Both of these shields are broken apart and put together; it's a metaphorical way of us piecing some of that lost history back together through oral history, stories, and through art," Mr Doyle said.
During his research, Mr Doyle found that shields are some of the most collected pieces in Aboriginal culture. According to the Council of Australian Museums Directors, between 2016 and 2019, Indigenous Australian objects identified numbered about 38,400 in institutions across the UK and 600 in Ireland. The materials included bags, baskets, and wooden artefacts like shields.
"There are quite a few [shields] that are from my people that are in museums across the world. I've been to the UK to see our artifacts at many museums, and one of the things that really took me was the shields," he said.
"You know the [shields] are kind of like our licenses; each design is unique and identifies each person."
Seeing the shields on display in a glass box inspired Mr Doyle to emulate the designs and make it his own without taking away the original identity. He chose to work with the material of cast iron to give the shields longevity and to pay tribute to the country he is living on, Broken Hill.
He noted the name Eternal Sentinels reflected the need for a title honouring longevity.
During the exhibition Mr Doyle hoped people realise how resilient his culture is and find some appreciation for Australia's oldest living cultures.
"I just want them to see that it's there to represent the length of time our people have been around...also that whilst some of them have holes and cracks, it's still a functional shield," he said.
Bondi's Sculpture by the Sea is a competitive exhibition that brings work from all over the globe. Mr Doyle admits every year he received emails to apply but couldn't find the right time. This year, Mr Doyle was the only Indigenous artist to participate in the exhibition, and he was unaware of the significant costs involved.
"It's really expensive to produce shields in that size, to ship them, and to put them on display; then you have the machinery. It ends up being really expensive," he said.
After Mr Doyle was accepted, NRMA Insurance created a new grant called the NRMA Insurance Indigenous Artist Program that donates $20,000 to an Indigenous artist to present a new sculpture at Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi.
Mr Doyle is the inaugural recipient, and he thanks NRMA for allowing him to create something meaningful and for creating accessibility for Indigenous artists.
