He is Myself

Born in the years leading up to Australia’s first Aboriginal workers’ strike of 1946-1949, Mr. Gardiner (1943-2018) lived, worked and raised a family in the country’s remote north west regions. Engaged in both pastoral life and mining―two industries that have driven the nation’s wealth over the past century― Mr. Gardiner experienced firsthand a period of burgeoning Aboriginal political self-determination, through his association with the iconic Pilbara-based ‘Strelley Mob’. He is Myself: The Art of Nyaparu (William) Gardiner presented more than 50 artworks created by Mr. Gardiner during the last four years of his life at Spinifex Hill Studio in South Hedland, including many previously unseen works.

Curated and produced by FORM, this exhibition offered an exceptional insight into the fascinating life of a man who, through his travels and experiences, embodies an era of unprecedented social and economic change for Western Australia and its Aboriginal peoples.