Slowdown Studio / Tangentyere Artists / Koskela

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers please advise the following article contains names and images of deceased. 

Koskela, Slowdown Studio and Tangentyere Artists join forces for a collaboration three years in the making: a limited edition run of artist design throws. 

After a long and prosperous relationship with Slowdown Studio, the Los Angeles based company approached us in 2018 to gain assistance in facilitating a limited-edition collaboration with Indigenous Artists.

Collaborating with artists from around the world to create unique, eye catching textiles and decorative homewares, Slowdown Studio Founder Marc Hendrick, originally from Sydney, has always loved Aboriginal art. The thought of creating an Aboriginal collection to showcase Australian Indigenous talent to the brand’s large global audience hit home and was made possible through our wonderful relationship with Tangentyere Artists.

Koskela has a long and respected history of Indigenous Design Collaboration and Social Impact work with Indigenous-owned organisations. After much research and consultation, we approached Tangentyere Artists, an Alice Springs based not-for-profit Aboriginal owned Art Centre that represents the breadth and depth of Central Australian cultural diversity. Tangentyere Artists provides a platform from which artists can express themselves, their lives and cultural values, while enriching their community wellbeing and family livelihoods.

The works of three very special senior Warlpiri, Pintupi and Luritja artists, Emma Daniels, Linda Syddick and Wentja Morgan were chosen to create three limited-edition blankets. These three blanket designs represent the culture and country of the artists and their community and feature elements of Papunya and Karrinyarra country.

"In a time when many are experiencing unforseen hardship, Tangentyere Artists have been creating new ways to return income to Central Australian Indigenous artists and their families. Tangentyere Artists is proud to have been part of this series, working alongside long term partner Koskela and Slowdown Studio. Each blanket contributes to sustainable income generation for Central Australian Indigenous artists, and provides the women's families with direct income generation, and a platform to share their stories and culture internationally and provides the women's families with direct income generation, and a platform to share their stories and culture internationally." Ruth McMillan, Tangentyere Arts Coordinator

The blankets act as functional artworks that can be displayed in homes, hung or framed on a wall and enjoyed indoors. These blankets are an exciting opportunity to connect a treasured item for the home with the vibrant designs of the world’s oldest continuous living culture. 

 

Emma Daniels (deceased) is known for her vibrant paintings of Central Mount Wedge which combine bold motifs and traditional iconography creating dynamic interpretations of Panpunya country.

 

Linda Syddick (deceased) has been a finalist in the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards and The Blake Prize numerous times. Her nomadic childhood and strong ties to faith have significantly influenced her paintings, the most famous of which is The WitchDoctor and the Windmill. A story that documents the first contact between her family and European Australians in 1945.

These three artworks were licensed by Slowdown Studio with Koskela as facilitator and with the assistance of Arts Law Centre licensing agreements. The licensing fee proceeds go directly to the not-for-profit art centre, and artists/artist’s estates.

Do you have any questions? Get in touch today, and we will connect you with the right person in our team.

Koskela is proud to be the first furniture and homewares company in Australia to be a Certified B Corporation®.