"Niman Aarl" (Many Fish) by Darrell Sibosado and Darrell Jade Kyle is included in the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial.
The large-scale contemporary installation Niman Aarl is included in IOTA21. The work was created on Bard land, in a multi-generational partnership of uncle and nephew, the two men carved more than 300 individual fish, with the help of their families, to make up this stunning installation. This work asks the viewer to consider their effect on our planet and the ecosystems that sustain it.
In his practice, Darrell presents both traditional and derivative contemporary designs. The inspiration for Darrell’s work is taken from the traditional pearl shell carving and mother of pearl etching of the Bard people. DJ, Darrell’s nephew, is a promising young artist in his own right with a desire to continue these traditional Bard practices. He now works closely with both Darrell and Garry Sibosado to learn the traditional skills and the accompanying stories and knowledge.
Niman Aarl references the disturbance you see on the water’s surface and the flurry of activity beneath. Symbolising a number of pertinent messages about the times we are living in, the work addresses notions of environmental concern, the beauty and intrigue of the ocean and most importantly represents a contemporary expression of the artists’ age old culture and reverence to the Sea Country.The pinned fish is made from mother of pearl, trochus, ebony, and turtle shell.
“We’re reflecting on man’s need to always change and control the natural flow of things - manipulating the delicate balance and rhythm of nature to suit himself – and what looks like just a surface disturbance runs much deeper”, says Darrell.
“It’s not new – throughout history, the impact of man on his environment is a running thread, and we need to take it a lot more seriously than we are”.
“The big gap in the middle represents the attempts to disconnect my people from our traditional culture which, again, has been caused by intervention and change”, Darrell explains.
