March 2015 March 2015

IN THIS ISSUE: Chaloupka Fellow announcement

President’s message Expeditions Recent gatherings

Events Diary Exhibitions

” A specialist in applying earth science techniques to archaeology has been awarded this year’s George Chaloupka Fellowship. He will undertake cutting edge geophysical and photogrammetry to locate, record and date rock art that has been hidden beneath silica and carbonate skins.

The skins, also known as rock varnish, consist of naturally accumulated and cemented dust particles and salts and are extremely com-mon in Northern Australia.

The Fellowship was awarded to Dr Ian Moffat, a PhD graduate from the Australian National University and currently a Postdoc-toral Fellow at the pres-tigious Laboratory of

Geophysical-Remote Sensing & Archaeo-environment Institute for Mediterranean Studies, to support his research project entitled ‘Seeing Beneath the Surface: Applying Geophysical Techniques to Rock Art Research’. The Fellowship was announced to-night by Alan Tietzel, Energy Resources of Australia’s Chief Adviser Agreements, at a function at the MAGNT.

The $28,000 Fellowship, which is an initiative of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Foundation, and sponsored by Energy Resources of Australia (ERA), provides support for research into Indigenous rock art in the West Arnhem land region of the Northern Territory, with the aim of enhancing the understanding and preservation of the art and the role of the MAGNT as a major institution in this field.

In addition to deploying cutting edge geophysical tech-niques as a way to image through these skins, Dr Moffat will employ photogrammetry from cameras mounted on the ground, on a kite and on an unmanned aerial

vehicle to record the rock art sites and their surround-ing areas in 3D. This data will be accessible through a web interface that will provide a fully interactive representation of each rock art site, subject to appropriate permissions from traditional owners.

The project will be undertaken in collaboration with the Djabulukgu Association and the Njanjma Rangers in the Ulbu-Bunji/Erre region of the East Alligator River area and aims to provide training for the traditional owners in the techniques used during the fieldwork.

“This is an exciting project. The geophysical mapping of rock art is cutting edge research which could well result in a whole new methodology, relevant to rock art sites not only in the Northern Territory but around the world,” said Emeritus Professor Helen Garnett, President of the MAGNT Foundation. This research project, which introduces photogram-

metry into Australia to record 3D images of rock shelters and their art, will poten-tially make visualization of shelters

available to visitors at MAGNT in Darwin as well as in other institutions, thereby facilitating a deeper under-standing of Indigenous culture.

This is the fifth year that ERA has sponsored the Fellowship, which is part of the company’s on-going commitment to enhancing cultural opportunities in the Alligator Rivers region,

which surrounds ERA’s operations at Ranger mine.

www.magntfoundation.org

MAGNTF President Prof Helen Garnett

speaking prior to the announcement.

ERA’s Phil Teitzel announces

the name of the new Fellow

Photo of Moffat

Dr Ian Moffat

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For 2015, the

F o u n d a t i o n ’ s

Event’s program

is being aligned

with exhibitions

and celebratory

events relevant

to ‘your MAGNT.

The fund-raising continues the

aim of building a sizeable Trust to sup-

port acquis i t ions and spec ial

purposes, as may be determined by the

Board of MAGNT, that leave a lasting

legacy.

In the last financial year some $22,000

was added to the Trust Account with a further $33,500 being raised and directed

to specific projects, including the George

Chaloupka Fellowship and the planning to

upgrade Sweetheart’s Location – this

project being a ‘special’ focus.

This year we have been successful in the

competitive Community Grants Program

to raise funds for special materials to

augment the Children’s Discovery Centre

– the other current ‘special’ focus area.

The exhibition opens on Thursday

evening March 26 as detailed elsewhere in

this Newsletter. There will be a Floor

Talk by the Curator at 10.30 on Saturday

morning March 28 and on May 24th the

Darwin Ballet School will give life to

Degas’ ballerinas.

May 18 is International Museum Day – the

2015 theme being ‘Sustainability”.

To mark this event there will be a special

‘Behind the Scenes’ visit on Sunday May

17, hosted by the museum’s scientific

staff. Put this date in your diary! The last

‘behind the scenes’ events have been

fantastic and praised by all who at-

tended.

An exhibition celebrating many years of

the NT News will run from mid-April to

mid-July and the Foundation is planning a

special evening highlighting some of the

NT News’ history that you just might not

know about….. We are awaiting confir-

mation from speakers but the event will

likely be in late June/early July.

August brings NATSIAA with the special

pre-view event scheduled for Thursday

August 6. Remember if you are not a

financial member by July 8, there is no

invitation! Later in September we will

also schedule a ‘champagne and art’

early evening event with floor talks to

tell us more about the winning entries in

each of the NATSIAA categories and the

artists.

‘Monster Pop’ launches on October 30th

and the BIG Foundation event of the

year will be a Monster Pop-Up ‘ball’ on

Saturday evening October 31 – Hallow-

een!!

November brings the George Chaloupka Lecture towards the end of the month –

tentatively November 26.

We have also made linkages with the

Waterhouse Club, an entity associated

with the SA Museum where individual

member of the Club undertake to

arrange expeditions. The Waterhouse

Club has agreed that we can share infor-

mation on expeditions with our mem-

bers. You will find details on up and com-

ing expeditions elsewhere in the News-

letter.

Hope to see you around MAGNT….

Helen

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Em. Prof. Helen Garnett–

MAGNT Foundation Council

The Waterhouse Club is associated with the SA Museum. Individual members at times arrange significant expeditions in Australia and overseas. Our President has forged a linkage with the Water-house Club, enabling MAGNT Founda-tion members to receive information on expeditions and participate.

Some of their expeditions are in the NT and involve MAGNT Staff! Upcoming Expeditions are as follows:

1. The Alcoota Mega Fauna Fossil Expedition: Tuesday 23 June to Thursday 2 July 2015 The Trip The indicative expedition cost is $2,600 per person, including 2 nights twin share accommodation in Alice Springs, all meals and beverages on site. Additional costs at expeditioners’ own ex-pense will be:

Travel to and from Alice Springs and Alcoota.

You need to get yourself to Alice

Springs where the expedition starts and thereafter drive to Alcoota camp in your own or rented vehicle, a 4wd is not essential

You will need to provide your own tent and bedding/swag; there are on-site shower and toilet facilities.

The Scientists Dr Adam Yates, Senior Curator at the Mu-seum and Art Gallery of the Northern Ter-ritory (MAGNT), formerly of Johannesburg will be our host scientist. Dr Trevor Wor-thy, School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University and SA Museum Associate will also accompany us.

The Field Activities There are a number of pits with fossils in different stages of excavation. Generally, we will share work sites and each person will find their own fossils to work on. Each expeditioner will work a patch with bones dotted around them, exposing, cleaning and consolidating the fossils. Other tasks will include plastering, packaging, catalogu-ing, wrapping and transporting. Commonly, buckets of smaller bones are collected daily and bigger bones appear as we progress into the strata. Evenings around the campfire will include discus-sions on the day’s discoveries and matters of more general interest. The Alcoota Fossil Site is one of the three major vertebrate fossil sites in the North-ern Territory. The deposit was once a se-ries of lakes within a large basin. Evidence suggests that the concentration of fossils is due to a phenomenon called ‘waterhole-tethering’. During dry periods, animals in the intermediate area of the continually shrinking spring-fed lake died and, after a flood, their bones were washed into chan-nels where they were fossilised. The Alcoota site has a remarkably rich concentration of vertebrate fossils. In 1984 MAGNT commenced an annual excavation program, then in 1988 a permanent field station was erected on site and the valuable fossil beds were fenced to provide protection. The campsite The Alcoota Fossil Beds are located 200km north east of Alice Springs.

2. The East Papua-New Guinea Expedition: November 30 to De-cember 2016 The planned Expedition on “True North”

embarks at Kavieng in New Ireland on Wednesday 30 November and disembarks

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at Alotau in Milne Bay on Sunday 10 December 2016.

Day One: An early morning charter

flight takes us from Cairns to Kavieng,

where we board our ship. All official

procedures are handled for us. We an-chor off Lissenung Island in New Ire-

land Province.

Day Two: We explore the Kavieng coast and New Hanover Island.

Day Three: Anchor at the Duke of York Islands and then to Rabaul at the east end of New Britain. Our helicopter will be available to view the crater.

Day Four: We anchor in and explore Jacquinot Bay in New Britain.

Day Five: After an overnight sail we awake in Star Reef amongst the Lusancay Islands.

Day Six: Cruise the basalt fiords of Tufi at Cape Nelson, Oro Province. Helicopter rides will be sought after to visit the Kokoda Trail memorial.

Day Seven: Ferguson Island, home of Goldies Bird of Paradise.

Days Eight to Ten: We enter the Louisiades Archipelago and spend the next two days exploring its many islands and reefs.

Day Eleven: Berth at Alotau in Milne Bay and transfer to our charter flight direct to Cairns arriving late afternoon.

Price:- Ocean Class $A17,995 – other cabins are available at a more expensive rate

The Scientists Two scientists Professor Greg Rouse former curator of marine invertebrates at the South Australian Museum and now professor at Scripps and Professor Steve Donnellan, Evolutionary Biologist and Associate of the SA Museum expect to join the expedition in addi-tion to the True North Marine Science team.

Diving and Snorkelling For the experienced snorkeler or scuba diver the experiences of some of the world’s best diving locations will be memorable. But for the inexperienced snorkeler this is heaven, the wa-ter is clear and warm with lots to see. There will be proficient crew members in the water with you at all times and instruction can be available. Other Activities While the opportunities offered are largely in the water, “True North” has developed to an art-form, the provision of alternative activities.

Fishing parties in the ships boats, will be full on as we will not be spending much time in Marine Parks.

The scientists expect to have collecting per-mits so the rear deck can be set up to show our captures under more relaxed circum-stances.

Sightseeing parties in the ship’s boats travel along the coast or ashore, admiring the scenery, beach combing or just hanging out.

Organised events ashore may include, village visiting where we try local food, viewing the wild life, fresh water waterfalls and sunset cocktail parties on deserted beaches.

And importantly, just lying on the fore deck reading.

If interested in any of these expeditions, please

contact Helen Garnett (for Alcoota expedition

by March 30, ) through

rsvpmagntf@bigpond.com or on 0416222000

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Attendees at the George Chaloupka Fellowship Lecture

Ron Ninnis, Julie Maston, AnnieWelch

Foundation Council and members at the recent AGM.

Wendy and Earl James Penelope Baird, Jeff and Marilyn Pinkerton

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Ben Suherman and Rev Dr Helen Richmond.

Pina Guiliani and Yvonne Forrest at the celebration prior to

announcement of the George Chaloupka Fellowship.

Helen Bate, Fritz Risler, Carlyn Donovan, Peter Bate, Betty Risler, .

Sharon McKenzie, Chanise Boase

Tristan Davis and Dr David Welch.

Sharon McKenzie and Chenise Boase

Lorraine Sushames, Scott McCall, Annie McCall, Paul Styles.

Impressions of Paris: Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Daumier

26 March—8 June 2015 Join us for the opening of the Museum and Art Gal-lery of the Northern Territory’s newest exhibition

Impressions of Paris: Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Daumier

Thursday 26th March at 5.30 pm

Party in sophisticated Parisian style with music from French gypsy swing virtuoso La Mauvaise

Reputation, direct from Melbourne.

This exhibition will be officially opened by Dr Gerard Vaughan AM, Director, National Gallery

of Australia and Mr Allan Myers, AO, QC, Chair, MAGNT Board.

What better place than the Northern Territory to

launch a national tour of an exhibition that presents artworks that, in their time, mocked and satirised the bourgeoisie society and brought the

contemporary underbelly of the Paris streets to the forefront of 19th Century French art.

These highly significant and precious prints, posters

and drawings, from the National Gallery of Australia, are colourful, bold, cheerful and at times,

just a little bit cheeky. Honore-Victorin Daumier, Edgar Degas and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec will be

visiting Darwin for a short time only!

International Museum Day: 18th of May Every year since 1977 International Museum Day is organised worldwide on the 18th of May. This day is an occasion to raise awareness on how im-portant museums are in the development of society. Participation in Inter-national Museum Day is growing among museums all over the world. In 2014, more than 35,000 museums participated in the event in over 140 countries from all continents. In 2015, the event will celebrate the theme: Museums for a sustainable society. The theme Museums for a sustainable society recognises the role of museums in raising public awareness about the need for a society that is less wasteful, more cooperative and uses resources in a way that respects living systems. Bringing museums to the forefront of this model of a sustainable society, the International Museum Day theme aims to foster awareness among the whole society about the current consequences of human action in our planet and the absolute ne-cessity of changing its economic and social model. MAGNT Foundation will celebrate International Museum Day with a special Behind the Scenes Event—on May 17th at 11am (Further details forthcoming).

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May 17—11 am International Museum Day

Celebration – A special ‘Behind

the Scenes’ program at MAGNT

June/July—date to

be advised

Evening event in association with

NT News Exhibition – What

you do not know about the

history of the NT News…

August/

September

—dates to be

advised

A ‘champagne and art’ early

evening event with floor talks to

tell us more about the winning

entries in each of the NATSIAA

categories and the artists.

August 6

NATSIAA

Preview by special invitation only

October 31 “Monster’ Pop-Up ‘ball”

George Chaloupka Lecture November 26— to

be confirmed:

Pencil these dates into your diary now!

LINK TO MAGNT EXHIBITIONS: http://artsandmuseums.nt.gov.au/museums

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To March 2015 Rob Brown—

Evolutions A Disrespective This is a retrospective of the most disrespectful kind. It presents 20

years of wicked and irreverent work by Darwin artist Rob Brown. Browns’s extraordinary imagination warps culture, history and

religion to create confronting and humorous observations on the

world around him.

From 24 No-

vember2015 Cyclone Tracy—40 years on

MAGNT has been telling the stories of Cyclone Tracy for 40 years

through its much loved exhibiton. This commemorative year MAGNT

is installing an intriguing and magnificent artefact, never displayed be-

fore. It along with new interactive displays will show the sheer power

and magnitude of the cyclone that changed Darwin forever.

To 21 June

2015 Exit Art -Contemporary art by Year 12 students in the

Northern Territory.

28 March - 8

June 2015 Impressions of Paris—Toulouse

Lautrec, Degas, Daumier On tour from. the National Gallery of Australia, Impressions of Paris:

Lautrec, Degas, Daumier examines the major contribution of French art made by these three key figures.

31 October

2015— 14 February

2016

Monster Pop—Contemporary Indonesian

and Australian Art from 12 artists.

Early 2016 Winsome Jobling—Works on paper