Wonnarua. 2020

Wonnarua is a contemplative moving image installation work that aims to provoke discussion around themes of Indigenous ways of living in juxtaposition with western settler-state system's unsustainable, damaging ways of using stolen lands.

The video diptych contrasts living portraits of five Aboriginal people from the Wonnarua Nation with drone shots of the vast Muswellbrook coal mines, which are situated in the heart of the Wonnarua Nation.

Note: The text above was written by the Artist. No modification was made by COCA.

Ryan Andrew Lee

Australia

https://www.ryanandrewlee.com/videoart/wonnarua

Artist Statement
Ryan Andrew Lee is a conceptual artist whose works explore alternative ontologies and epistemologies
which are strongly influenced by First Nations, spiritual and universal philosophies of life and mind. Ryan's
strong background in cinematography and experimental documentary film-making shines strongly
throughout his works. Most commonly using the mediums of moving image and installation as his favoured
tools of choice, Lee proactively strives to create works that resonate on a deeper level of consciousness with
the intent to unify all things. Ryan's works are sometimes factually and historically based (whether that be a
positive or negative history) and are always created with the intent to educate, raise awareness on and offer
up alternate perspectives on cultural, environmental (and sometimes political) issues in hopes to provoke
further discussion on such topics; in a sense we must investigate the past to understand the present. Ryan's
work is driven by personal ex