Ellen Jose

Infobox Person
name = Ellen Jose


birth_name =
birth_date = 1951
birth_place = Cairns, Queensland, Australia
death_date =
death_place =

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." [http://www.nga.gov.au/retake/artists/00000006.htm Artist Profile] " National Gallery of Australia. Accessed September 18, 2008]

Education and Career

Ellen Jose completed a Certificate of Applied Art at Seven Hills Art College, Brisbane 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.

Art and Exhibitions

Ellen Jose's photographic and printmaking works are held and exhibited by the National Gallery of Australia, 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." [http://www.moragalleries.com.au/ejose/ Ellen Jose Profile] ", Mora Galleries, Melbourne. Accessed September 18, 2008 ]

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 May 1, 1986. [" [http://www.takver.com/history/meetings/c1986mel.htm Australian Anarchist Centenary Celebrations Conference 1986 Melbourne] ", on www.takver.com. Accessed September 18, 2008]

During 1988 Jose had photographs included in the "Inside Black Australia" exhibition that toured Australia. [" [http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=446680 Photographs by Ellen Jose taken for 'Inside Black Australia - Aboriginal Photographers Exhibition'] ", Tin Sheds Gallery, Sydney, 1988, State Library of NSW website. Accessed September 18, 2008]

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. [" [http://www.qag.qld.gov.au/cinematheque/past_programs/liquid_medium_list_of_works The Liquid Medium: Video Art] " Queensland Art Gallery website. Accessed September 18, 2008]

Her 1997 sculpture "Tanderrum" can be found in the
Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park [" [http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=113 Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park] ", Parks Victoria website. Accessed September 18, 2008] , and was restored in January 2008. [" [http://hisafnews.blogspot.com/2008/01/working-on-tanderrum.html Working on Tanderrum] ", Herring Island Summer Arts Festival News Blog, Tuesday, January 22, 2008. Accessed September 18, 2008 ]

From 2002 she has attended the December 3 anniversary of the Eureka Rebellion in Ballarat, and photographed the anniversary events. [" [http://www.ainfos.ca/02/dec/ainfos00226.html Anarchist Age Weekly Review] ", No.528 9th December ­15th December, 2002. Accessed September 18, 2008]

In 2008 Ellen Jose featured in an exhibition of modern indigenous art at the Heide Museum of Modern Art in Melbourne [" [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/sundayarts/txt/s2182431.htm Heide Indigenous Art] ", ABC TV, Screened 9/3/2008. Accessed September 18, 2008] . She is also a committee member and photographer of the the Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner Commemoration Committee. [" [http://www.tunnerminnerwaitandmaulboyheennercommemorationcommittee.com/ Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner Commemoration Committee] " website. Accessed September 18, 2008]

References