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The brush sings

Documentaries

Moving image: Explore cultures and art making around the world

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Rainforest people: Napolean Oui

Artist Napolean Oui, a Djabugay man, is focussed on his research about his cultural heritage. It is from this research and its findings that Napolean has developed his contemporary art practice and distinctive style of art making.

Alick Tipoti: Mask story

We join Alick in Cairns, North Queensland as he makes a series of masks used in performance. Like so much of the Torres Strait Islander culture the atmosphere in the studio is powerful. Alick speaks in his language Kalaw Lagaw Ya.

The master at work

The master at work is an intimate portrait of artist, Peter Churcher, as he becomes an Australian war artist and contemplates a move to Spain. Filmed in 2005 in his studio in Prahran, Melbourne.

Djambawa Marawili: Rock of the fire

In this film we join the great Yolngu leader and artist Djambawa Marawili in his homeland of Baniyala, nestled so beautifully on the shores of Blue Mud Bay in East Arnhem Land.

Courage: The art of William Eicholtz

In this film we join sculptor William Eicholtz on a journey of creativity. The journey is contemporary but reflecting ancient techniques as William creates an important and complex work, full of skill and meaning.

space * time * performance

space time performance is a film about the inflatable sculpture, A Sac of Rooms All Day Long, which was exhibited at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in an exhibition called Sensate: Bodies and Design.

Unpacking a wood kiln and selecting pots: Gwyn Hanssen Pigott

Now comes the nerve racking process of unpacking the kiln. Gwyn Hanssen Pigott unpacks the wood kiln and selects the final compositions of her works. Here the results confirm the joy of making.

Packing and firing a wood kiln: Gwyn Hanssen Pigott

Pots glazed and dry, Gwyn Hanssen Pigott undertakes the delicate and time consuming task of preparing the wood kiln for the firing.

Throwing, turning and altering: Gwyn Hanssen Pigott

Gwyn Hanssen Pigott demonstrates wheel throwing and turning and the altering of thrown forms.

Glazing: Gwyn Hanssen Pigott

This is a complex and delicate task of selecting forms and colours. Gwyn Hanssen Pigott demonstrates the way in which the pots are glazed.

The art of making: Gwyn Hanssen Pigott

In this series of films Gwyn Hanssen Pigott demonstrates each stage of the making process as she creates a series of porcelain wood-fired groupings of pots that are so highly regarded by collectors around the world.

Within art and nature with John Wolseley

If we look closely at John Wolseley’s paintings, we will begin to understand how nature works. Here laid out before us on the arches paper is the intricate weave of nature.

Maasai: Birds sing and lions roar

Birds sing and lions roar explores the relationship between the Maasai and the environment. As the drought deepens the men travel further and further in search of pastures.

Maasai: Keeping knowledge

Keeping knowledge explores the ways in which Maasai believe they can preserve their precious cultural heritage while at the same time considering new ways of community development.

Maasai: Food and celebration

Goats and cattle are a source of wealth in Maasai society and the animals are looked after with care.

Maasai: Changing times

We visit the house of Amos and Lilian and talk about the changing relationships between younger Maasai men and women.

Maasai: Enkang life

The women prepare a donkey transport, the men light a fire and a Maasai bride leaves the village.

Maasai: Women at work and women at home

Maasai women describe their way of life and we visit a Maasai hut, a medical dispensary and go shopping in a Maasai market.

Billy Missi

Billy Missi was inspired by his culture and concern for the environment, the sea and islands of the Torres Strait. The art making of a new generation of Torres Strait Islander artists inspired Billy, who was determined to make art his career.

A portrait in Barcelona

What is it like to have your portrait painted and why do people commission these paintings? How is the portrait constructed and how does the artist capture a likeness? How does history influence the art of portraiture?

Nyapanyapa: The constant artist

Each and every day Nyapanyapa worked at Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre, the internationally famous art centre at Yirrkala in East Arnhem Land. The country, the land and sea, deep in long held knowledge, in culture, in law, in nature and in creativity.

The weavers of Langarra

We meet at the Milingimbi airport at 9 am for our charter to the small community of Langarra. This is a very special invitation from community elder Ruth Ngalmakarra to take us back to her homeland.

Masterpiece: The work

The chrysanthemum design is more traditional and that already existed in Kyoto, but this plum flower design pattern is my original idea.

Masterpiece: The artist

I am the third generation for this bamboo craft and I have been involved since the time of my grandfather.

Two old artists looking for food: Living forms of the landscape

We tour John’s painting and learn more about the plants that now come to life on its surface.

Two old artists looking for food: Painting as if through a veil

In this film we learn about the food plants of East Arnhem Land through the eyes, pen and brush of two great artists.

The smokers have taken the gold

We meet John Wolseley in a pub in a town called Rainbow and travelled back to his camp in the middle of Wyperfeld National Park.

Knowledge, painting and country

Knowledge, painting and country, the third film in this series about the culture of Western Arnhem Land, takes us on a journey to meet the region’s most respected elders.

Rock art and Yingana

Since deep time, Aboriginal people have painted images on the rock escarpments of the Stone Country.

The brush sings

In this film we meet the artists as they work at Injalak Arts and Crafts and we find out why art centres are so important to Aboriginal communities.

The artist's journey

Robert Jacks is recognised as one of Australia’s most significant abstract artists. During his early career, Robert was influenced by the pioneer of British abstract art, Ben Nicholson.

Gifu: A place in our hearts

The Japanese summer of 2019 and we take you on a journey around Gifu, the beautiful and mountainous prefecture in Central Honshu.

Bardangarrh-Bardangarrh

In this film Frankie Kelly and Bob Burruwal tell the stories of Bardangarrh-Bardangarrh and the message stick and the fire stick.

Bongolinjbongolinj

In this film Bob Burruwal and Lena Yarinkura tell us the story of Bongolinjbongolinj and the gift of a song.

Ngalbenbe

In this film Bob Burruwal and Lena Yarinkura tell us the story of Ngalbenbe, the sun story and the Djarngno sacred site.

Wurun fish spirit and the trapping story

My father taught me. He told me never to forget this story. He said do not lose my story, hold on to it.

Telling stories as art

Just like those old people, they used to tell us those stories, we used to listen to them. The older generations passed it on to us.

Mono

In this film Bob Burruwal and Lena Yarinkura tell us the story of Mono, the bones of two people and their dogs who die of thirst.

We walked on a carpet of stars

Julie Gough creates the work Locus for The Biennale of Sydney, the tension builds as deadlines approach.

Bush plum: The contemporary art of Angelina Pwerle

Central Australia is a place of extraordinary power and beauty, the art from this place is a mirror, a spiritual reflection of beliefs, of culture, of country, of its plants and animals.

Zugub, the mask, the spirits and the stars

In this documentary Alick Tipoti describes his culture, recalling the legends of his land through music and dance and art making. We travel to his home island of Badu in the Torres Strait.

Ian Waldron: My mother’s country

For the past twenty years Ian Waldron has been creating a visual record of life on the Gulf of Carpentaria, in particular the life of people on his traditional Kurtjar country.

Arahmaiani: Between the mountain and the sea

A performance work in 3 acts filmed in Indonesia and India. In these performances the physical and metaphysical meet.

Stephen Benwell: An Art Life

The second of two films about the Australian artist potter Stephen Benwell, this film was released in May 2019.

Stephen Benwell: A Still Life

We begin at the installation of Stephen's latest exhibition at Niagara Galleries in Melbourne - Stephen Benwell: Ceramics and Paintings 2019.

The sea, the feather and the dance machine: Arrival song

Ken Thaiday takes us on a remarkable and personal journey to Erub in the Torres Strait.

The sea, the feather and the dance machine: Leaving song

Erub is a place where music and dance are important foundations to cultural practice and creativity, once more on the rise through a revival in artistic activity.

a potters film

An award winning documentary about ceramic artist Gwyn Hanssen Pigott.

"Something metaphysical, or something, the land, culture, a belief system, you know there is the term ‘dreaming’ and the art that is produced by these artists is some little way of us maybe getting a piece of that”.

Andrea and Peter Hylands

March 7, 2025
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Duration
29.51
Director
Peter and Andrea Hylands
Cinematography
Rob Pignolet
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In this film we meet the artists as they work at Injalak Arts and Crafts and we find out why art centres are so important to Aboriginal communities.

Filmed in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia, The brush sings, is the first in a series of three films about the art and culture of Western Arnhem Land.

Then art centre director at the time the film was made, Anthony Murphy had this to say:

“I think there is a need for a lot of people in the wider community, the European (Balanda) white people to see or understand something that we may have lost and maybe there is a great attachment to. Something metaphysical, or something, the land, culture, a belief system, you know there is the term ‘dreaming’ and the art that is produced by these artists is some little way of us may be getting a piece of that”. 

The passing on of knowledge from generation to generation has helped Aboriginal people to retain a deep respect and connection to the country and nature that surrounds them.

As the cycle of the seasons of the Kunwinjku unfold, as they have done for thousands of years, the humidity and heat build and usher in the wet season. The brush sings was made during Kurrung, the hot build up season before the rains come. This is a time of fire and a time when the air is full of the scent of blossoms.

“I have spent a lot of time watching Glen Namundja paint his highly detailed, complex and meticulous works. What is remarkable is how works of such complexity are created in the way that they are, it is almost as if Glen has pictured every line in every place before the painting is started”. Peter Hylands

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Related Documentaries

Rock art and Yingana

Rock art and Yingana

Since deep time, Aboriginal people have painted images on the rock escarpments of the Stone Country.

WATCH FULL VIDEO
Knowledge, painting and country

Knowledge, painting and country

Knowledge, painting and country, the third film in this series about the culture of Western Arnhem Land, takes us on a journey to meet the region’s most respected elders.

WATCH FULL VIDEO
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