Dance machine
Sculptor
Ken Thaiday Snr
(1950)
Date1993
Object number00040028
NameSculpture
MediumPlywood, enamel paint, metal, wire, fishing line, glass, feathers
DimensionsOverall: 1200 x 1111 mm
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThis sculpture in the shape of a trevally fish is decorated with pink feathers on a black and white wooden stand. It is part of the dance traditions of the people from the Torres Strait. Dance is one of the most important forms of expressing their culture and dance machines are a way of maintaining the links between the material and the spirit worlds. This work was made by the artist Ken Thaiday from Erub Island. He uses contemporary materials and culture to draw on traditional dance customs.
HistoryThe Torres Strait Islands are situated between the south coast of Papua New Guinea and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula, Australia. The region is made up of more than 100 individual islands. Despite their position between the two nations the Torres Strait islands are recognised as part of Queensland, Australia.
Dance and sculpture is an important part of the traditions and culture of people from the Torres Strait, with life centering on the sea and its marine life. All the islands in the strait have their own individual and unique dance forms. Many of the headdresses, body ornaments and dance machines are decorated with totemic beings related to ancestral events and stories. Indigenous artists have adopted contemporary materials into their designs such as plastic, but their works still imbue traditional culture and ancestry. Sculptures and costumes typically feature representations of fish. Ken Thaiday is specifically known for his headdresses and dance accessories representing the shark.SignificanceThis sculpture represents the Indigenous people of the Torres Strait and their cultural expression through dance. Ken Thaiday is a leading and well renowned artist and choreographer from the region. His dance costumes and accessories have become celebrated and symbolic of Torres Strait Island way of life.
