- Text Size
- Reduce text size
- Default text size
- Large text size
Aboriginal Artists Painting A Healthy Future
01 December 2009
Transplant Australia is proud to announce an initiative that aims to address the growing incidence of kidney disease in Central Australia.
There are nearly two hundred people on dialysis in Alice Springs and more than two hundred more will need to start treatment in the near future. The MALPA project aims to create and help fund local indigenous healthcare initiatives to respond to the significant needs of remote communities afflicted by renal disease and to engage in health promotion. Don Palmer, an experienced film producer and media consultant who has worked extensively in outback Australia, bought this to the attention of Transplant Australia earlier this year. Don is the project director and is driving the development of the program.
The first initiative we have been able to hit the ground running with this year has been ‘Painting the Future’. This artistic endeavour has a dual purpose. ‘Painting the Future’ provides an opportunity for talented and internationally renowned indigenous artists use decommissioned dialysis machines, a universally recognisable symbol of kidney disease as a communication vessel for their people as well as the wider Australian and international community.
The Kurrunpa [spirit/life force] of the Aboriginal people is crushed. The kidney dialysis machine is a stop gap between life and death, between the survival of the Dreaming and its extinction. The painted machines will be taken to health conferences around the world to raise awareness of the plight of Aboriginal people suffering kidney disease, and to raise funds.
“This way [by painting machines] people will know that Aboriginal people are trying to help themselves, help their people,” says Don.
The artists are paid for their work, but have generously reduced their commission to help their people and support the Malpa project.
Download the following document to learn more about the artworks
Dialysis Machine Art Symbolism
The project has been made possible by Fresenius Medical Care who manufacture the machines and who support the artists and the Malpa Project on both a local and international level.