Kaye Goyen is an Aboriginal artist from Queensland, best known for her traditional and contemporary Aboriginal Art. She is a well-respected, prolific senior Aboriginal artist. Kaye grew up in Brisbane. She had an extended working holiday in New Zealand, travelled through Asia, and lived in Holland before returning to Australia and beginning her studies as a mature age student prior to launching into painting full time in December 2019. Her work is held in private and commercial collections in Australia, USA, Germany and Sweden. βMy work is informed by my Aboriginal knowledges including art taught to me by family, Aboriginal Elders and friends. I use Aboriginal stories and lessons to create narratives of timelessness. My current paintings explore seeds, plants and animals, perceptions of country and the phenomena of the joy and struggle of living as an Aboriginal female. I also have an interest in other forms of contemporary art such as mixed media.β
I enjoy creating artworks in traditional and contemporary Aboriginal paintings along with abstracts and oil paintings. It has been a while since I have undertaken a bark painting, but I might consider taking it up again soon.
I have a Master's Degree in Indigenous Studies from Gnibi, Southern Cross University, NSW.
My Aboriginality is Kamilaroi, but I am a Murri, born in Brisbane. I may not look particularly Aboriginal, but I am.
Cook did not discover us; we saw his arrival (Uncle John Whop, 13th February, 2020, BlueJeans online video conference, Research Division, Batchelor Insittute of Indigenous Tertiary Education where I am enrolled to undertake post-graduate research).
Below is a copy and paste sourced from: https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/people/aboriginal-identity-who-is-aboriginal
Aboriginal Identity: Who is 'Aboriginal'?
People who identify themselves as 'Aboriginal' range from dark-skinned, broad-nosed to blonde-haired, blue-eyed people. Aboriginal people define Aboriginality not by skin colour but by relationships. Light-skinned Aboriginal people often face challenges on their Aboriginal identity because of stereotyping.
"Stop insulting Aboriginal people or we may have to consider calling white Australians half-caste convicts."β Uncle Chicka Dixon, Aboriginal activist
Three-part definition of Aboriginal identity
It took a 'Report on a Review of the Administration of the Working Definition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders' in 1981 to propose a new definition (my emphasis):
"An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is a person
β’ of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent
β’ who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and
β’ is accepted as such by the community in which he (she) lives."
