Ellen Jose
Encyclopedia
Ellen Jose, born in 1951 in Cairns, is a Torres Strait Islander descendant from Murray, Darnley and Horn Islands. She is an indigenous
artist
and photographer who lives in Melbourne
with husband Joseph Toscano
.
in 1976. After moving to Melbourne in 1977 she completed a Diploma of Fine Art at Preston Institute of Technology
in 1978. In 1979 she was awarded a Diploma of Education from Melbourne State College.
After graduating Ellen Jose worked with the Victorian Aboriginal Education Service. She has worked as a lecturer at Monash University
(from 1986), Deakin University
(1991–1994). In 1996 she was appointed to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board of the Australia Council
.
, Australian National Gallery, Canberra; Art Gallery of New South Wales
, Sydney; Australian War Memorial
, Canberra; National Gallery of Victoria
, Melbourne; National Museum of Australia
, Canberra; State Library of Victoria
, Melbourne; State Library of New South Wales
, Sydney; and many more collections. Since 1987, José has held around sixteen solo exhibitions, including ten with William Mora Galleries.
In 1986 Ellen Jose participated in the NAIDOC '86 Exhibition of Aboriginal and Islander Photographers at the Aboriginal Artists Gallery, Sydney. During 1985 and 1986 she contributed distinctive logos and poster designs for the Australian Anarchist Centenary Celebrations
held in Melbourne around 1 May 1986.
During 1988 Jose had photographs included in the Inside Black Australia exhibition that toured Australia.
In 1993 Jose collaborated with Marshall White on a 2 minute 40 second animation video, In the Balance, incorporating cultural imagery and music from Ellen Jose's Indigenous background. It was one of the earliest examples of an indigenous artist embracing digital and computer animation for their art.
Her 1997 sculpture Tanderrum can be found in the
Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park
, and was restored in January 2008.
From 2002 she has attended the 3 December anniversary of the Eureka Rebellion
in Ballarat, and photographed the anniversary events.
In 2008 Ellen Jose featured in an exhibition of modern indigenous art at the Heide Museum of Modern Art
in Melbourne
. She is also a committee member and photographer of the Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner Commemoration Committee.
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and photographer who lives in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
with husband Joseph Toscano
Joseph Toscano
Dr Joseph Toscano is a medical practitioner, a broadcaster and an anarchist who lives in Melbourne, Australia. He has become widely known as an anarchist spokesperson for the Anarchist Media Institute through his broadcasting on community radio, his frequent letters to newspapers such as The Age...
.
Education and career
Ellen Jose completed a Certificate of Applied Art at Seven Hills Art College, BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 1976. After moving to Melbourne in 1977 she completed a Diploma of Fine Art at Preston Institute of Technology
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
in 1978. In 1979 she was awarded a Diploma of Education from Melbourne State College.
After graduating Ellen Jose worked with the Victorian Aboriginal Education Service. She has worked as a lecturer at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
(from 1986), Deakin University
Deakin University
Deakin University is an Australian public university with nearly 40,000 higher education students in 2010. It receives more than A$600 million in operating revenue annually, and controls more than A$1.3 billion in assets. It received more than A$35 million in research income in 2009 and had 835...
(1991–1994). In 1996 she was appointed to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board of the Australia Council
Australia Council
The Australia Council, informally known as the Australia Council for the Arts, is the official arts council or arts funding body of the Government of Australia.-Function:...
.
Art and Exhibitions
Ellen Jose's photographic and printmaking works are held and exhibited by the National Gallery of AustraliaNational Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art gallery of Australia, holding more than 120,000 works of art. It was established in 1967 by the Australian government as a national public art gallery.- Establishment :...
, Australian National Gallery, Canberra; Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery of New South Wales
The Art Gallery of New South Wales , located in The Domain in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, was established in 1897 and is the most important public gallery in Sydney and the fourth largest in Australia...
, Sydney; Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
, Canberra; National Gallery of Victoria
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites...
, Melbourne; National Museum of Australia
National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia was formally established by the National Museum of Australia Act 1980. The National Museum preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation....
, Canberra; State Library of Victoria
State Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria is the central library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. It is on the block bounded by Swanston, La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets, in the northern centre of the central business district...
, Melbourne; State Library of New South Wales
State Library of New South Wales
The State Library of New South Wales is a large public library owned by the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Macquarie Street, Sydney near Shakespeare Place...
, Sydney; and many more collections. Since 1987, José has held around sixteen solo exhibitions, including ten with William Mora Galleries.
In 1986 Ellen Jose participated in the NAIDOC '86 Exhibition of Aboriginal and Islander Photographers at the Aboriginal Artists Gallery, Sydney. During 1985 and 1986 she contributed distinctive logos and poster designs for the Australian Anarchist Centenary Celebrations
Australian Anarchist Centenary Celebrations
The Australian Anarchist Centenary Celebrations occurred from 1 to 4 May 1986 in Melbourne, Australia.Preparations to celebrate the centenary of the formation of the first known anarchist organisation in Australia commenced in August 1984 by the Libertarian Workers for a Self Managed Society The...
held in Melbourne around 1 May 1986.
During 1988 Jose had photographs included in the Inside Black Australia exhibition that toured Australia.
In 1993 Jose collaborated with Marshall White on a 2 minute 40 second animation video, In the Balance, incorporating cultural imagery and music from Ellen Jose's Indigenous background. It was one of the earliest examples of an indigenous artist embracing digital and computer animation for their art.
Her 1997 sculpture Tanderrum can be found in the
Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park
Herring Island (Victoria)
Herring Island is a small island located in Melbourne's Yarra River at South Yarra, approximately 3 km from the city. Originally a quarry, it was leased by the scouts in the 1950s and 1960s and is currently managed by Parks Victoria and used as a sculpture park...
, and was restored in January 2008.
From 2002 she has attended the 3 December anniversary of the Eureka Rebellion
Eureka Stockade
The Eureka Rebellion of 1854 was an organised rebellion by gold miners which occurred at Eureka Lead in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. The Battle of Eureka Stockade was fought on 3 December 1854 and named for the stockade structure erected by miners during the conflict...
in Ballarat, and photographed the anniversary events.
In 2008 Ellen Jose featured in an exhibition of modern indigenous art at the Heide Museum of Modern Art
Heide Museum of Modern Art
Heide Museum of Modern Art, more commonly just Heide, is a contemporary art museum located in Bulleen, east of Melbourne, Australia. Established in 1981, the museum comprises several detached buildings and surrounding gardens & parklands of historical importance that are used as gallery spaces to...
in Melbourne
. She is also a committee member and photographer of the Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner Commemoration Committee.