Air

Jonathan Jones Wiradjuri/Kamilaroi peoples Born 1978, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Lives and works in Sydney with Dr Uncle Stan Grant Snr AM Wiradjuri people Born 1940, Dubbo, New South Wales Lives and works in Narrandera, New South Wales ‘Murun’, a Wiradjuri word meaning breath or life, and the English word ‘murmur’, meaning a low recurring sound or soft voices, are terms born far from each other — one long of this land, and one newly spoken here — but converge in untitled (giran) 2018. This major installation by artist Jonathan Jones is the most recent in a series of collaborations with esteemed Elder and Wiradjuri language expert Dr Uncle Stan Grant Snr AM and takes shape as a murmuration of winged sculptures evoking birds in collective flight. Giran (wind) is a term that describes fear, or apprehension, and the work is accompanied by sounds of wind, bird calls and the breathing and whispering of Wiradjuri speakers. ‘Understanding wind is an important part of understanding Country’, says Jones. ‘Winds bring change, knowledge and new ideas to those prepared to listen.’ 1 In his work, language is woven together with air over the land; the breath in and out of the body; wings in flight; and the wind through the river oaks, reeds and cumbungi (bulrush). 1 All quotes from Jonathan Jones are from a conversation with the author, 28 May 2018. Jonathan Jones with Dr Uncle Stan Grant Snr AM , untitled (giran) (detail) 2018 181 Change