«My travels in Finland allowed the opportunity to create a portrait of a time and place where support for the arts has been strong, and the notion of the painter as
a respected cultural worker is palpable,» said O'Brien.
During the many sit - ins,
cultural events and discussions at the Park, people of very different backgrounds, who would otherwise not come into contact — Turkish secularists and nationalists, Kurdish activists, members of the creative professions and white collar
workers, Socialists, religious and ethnic minorities, Islamists as well as LGBT and gender campaigners — found a way to manage coexistence and
respect for pluralism.
They work with the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantijatjara and Yankunytjatjara Women's Council program that supports a dynamic group of Ngangkari who are also highly
respected artists, teachers and health
workers with immense
cultural authority.