Cedric Varcoe: Nganawi Ngarrindjeri ruwi
Feeling like a bird
Flying over Country
October 14 – December 10
Tarnanthi: Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander art 2023
Exhibition Launch Saturday October 21st at 5pm
Cedric Varcoe is a Narangga-Ramindjeri and Ngarrindjeri artist.
Nganawi Ngarrindjeri ruwi translates to feeling like a bird, flying over country.
“Through art I want people to look through our eyes when they visit these places, I want them to feel connected to their miwi. The miwi is like our spirit that makes us and shapes us as we are as a person and connects us to our totems and life that belongs to country.
I’ve made it my purpose to share stories and keep them alive, my responsibility as a custodian is to share that knowledge with younger people about belonging and caring for country, and some significant sites of our lands and waters.” Cedric Varcoe 2023
Cedric Varcoe, Fresh Water Dreaming - Ngarrindjeri ka:wi Ruwe Dreaming - Our Country and Waters
We Ngarrindjeri are Fresh Water People, 2023, acrylic on canvas
Cedric Varcoe, Krayi Red Belly Black Snakes - Dreaming my nga:tji - We Share our mi:wi, 2023, acrylic on canvas
BIO
Cedric Varcoe was born in Adelaide in 1984 and is Narangga/Ramindjeri of the Ngarrindjeri language group. He has lived in Adelaide, Meningie, Raukkan and Point Pierce, his Fathers community, and as an adult in Port Pirie and Port Elliot.
As a child Cedric’s mum would take him to the beach to collect river rocks and shells and paint on them and he would listen to Ngarrindjeri stories from his aunties, uncles, and mum’s cousins. He started painting at 8 years old, mostly snakes and country and as an adult he was known for painting little men and corroborees.
He lived in Port Pirie when he became a dad and studied literacy and art at TAFE and he set up an art group. In 2015 he received an ArtSA grant to research his practice and colour theory and during this time, he visited the Adelaide Museum where he looked at a photograph of a corroboree and turned it over to see his family names Peter Campbell his Great Great Grandfather and Leonard Campbell his Great Grandfather and this is when he realised that for years he had been painting these men and the corroboree without ever seeing this photograph or knowing about it.
Furthering his career Cedric teamed up with Betterworld Arts who support his arts practice by selling his work nationally and internationally. He exhibits his work regularly and is also an experienced mural artist and Cultural Leader on his Country.
