
Professor Jennifer Biddle
BA Honours (1st Class) Anthropology and Comparative Sociology, Macquarie University, Sydney, 1985
PhD, Anthropology, University of Sydney, 1997
Jennifer L 听Biddle is Professor and Director of emLAB (the Ethnographic Media Lab), 麻豆社madou Arts, Design & Architecture.
Biddle joined 麻豆社madou in 2007, recruited as a VC Strategic Research Appointment (SPF) from the Department of Anthropology at Macquarie University, where she taught interdisciplinary approaches to the comparative study of culture and served as Head of School. At 麻豆社madou, she is founding Director of emLAB (formerly Visual Anthropology & Visual Culture, NIEA), in the Big Anxiety Research Cetnre (BARC), 听麻豆社madou School of Art & Design; an international program specialising in Indigenous and Asia Pacific research, one of only a few programs in Australia to support ethnographic and practice-led research as a basis for creative and critical research innovation in the arts. The recipient of numerous awards and grants, former Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow, she has served as acting member of the ARC鈥檚 College of Experts (2019-2021), and is currently a member of ARC MRAG (Medical Advisory Group). 听
An anthropologist with a background in linguistics, she has worked with northern Warlpiri in Lajamanu for three decades, and more recently, in partnership with (select) Central and Western Desert community art and media organisations.听In 2023-2024, she is Gough Whitlam and Malcom Fraser Chair in Australian Studies at Harvard University.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
听
Competitive Grants History (Select)
*J.Biddle (Advisor), Sudiipta Dowsett (Coordinator), Myra Nungarrayi Herbert (Lajamanu Senior Knowledge Holder), Lynette Napangardi Tasman (Lajamanu Senior Knowledge Holder/artist), Judy Napangardi Martin (Lajamanu senior singer/artist), Biddy Napanangka Timms (Lajamanu senior singer/artist), Denise Napangardi Robertson (Lajamanu Senior Knowledge Holder/artist), Enid Nangala Gallagher (Yuendumu transcriber and arts worker), Lorraine Nungarrayi Granites (Yuendumu senior singer), Maisy Napurrurla Wayne (Yuendumu senior singer), in conjunction with Warnayaka Art & Aboriginal Cultural Corporation.
Indigenous Languages and Arts (ILA) Program听Lajamanu Women鈥檚 Ceremony: Keeping Yawulyu Strong 2021-2024听$110,270.听
*J. Biddle, David McMicken, Tim Newth, Australian Research Council Linkage Project Indigenous Futurity: Milpirri as Experimental Ceremony 2020-2023 $469,000
*J. Biddle, Sarah Kenderdine, Chris Salter, David Howes Australia Research Council Discovery Project Cultural Sensorium: An ethnography of the senses听2017-2019 $243,000
*J. Biddle, Chris Salter, David Howes and Marcelo Wanderley Canadian SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) Sensory Entanglements: New Cross Cultural and Cross-Disciplinary Directions in the Creation and Evaluation of Multi-Sensorial Experience听2014-2017 $445,000 (AUS $461,000)
* J. Biddle, Ross Harley, Jill Bennett, Mark Ledbury, Jaynie Anderson, Peter McNeil, Deb Verhoeven, Catherine Speck, Marie Sierra, Joanna Mendelssohn, Alison Inglis, Gillian Fuller Australian Research Council LIEF Design and Art Australia Online听2014-2015 $190,000
*J. Biddle 2010-2014 Australian Research Council Future Fellowship Remote Avant-Garde: Experimental Indigenous Arts听$777,000
* J. Biddle 2010 $25,000 Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Yawulyu as Intergenerational Art: A Pilot Study
*J. Biddle, Robyn Ferrell 2005-2007 $250,000 Australian Research Council Discover Project Feminist Aesthetics meets Indigenous Art
*J. Biddle 1989 $20,000 Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies (AIAS, now AIATSIS) Postgraduate Research Award on Warlpiri Art and Writing
PUBLICATIONS
Authored Books
* J. Biddle Remote Avant-Garde: Aboriginal Art Under Occupation Durham and London: Duke University听Press, 2016
* J. Biddle Breasts, Bodies, Canvas: Aboriginal Art as Experience Sydney: University of New South Wales Press, 2007
Edited Journal Editions
* J. Biddle and Tess Lea (eds) Special Edition 鈥楬yperrealism and other Indigenous forms of 鈥楩aking it with the Truth鈥 Visual Anthropology Review 2018
* J. Biddle and Lisa Stefanoff (eds) Special Edition 鈥淪ame but Different: Interventions鈥 Cultural Studies Review 21:1 2015
Public Blog
*J. Biddle with Fred Myers and Terry Smith (2025) Author Interview web/blog on 鈥楽ix Paintings from Papunya: A Conversation鈥櫶(Duke University Press, Durham and London, 2024)听CaMP Anthropology Communication, Media and Performance
Book Chapters
* J. Biddle and C. L鈥橦irondelle 听(in development, forthcoming 2025) 鈥樷滷utures that were not intended for us*鈥欌: 听in support of the eel鈥檚鈥 for The Art and Architecture of Mapping: Visual and Material Approaches to Cartographic Objects, Courtauld Art Institute edited by Stephen Whiteman and Emily Mann.
* J. Biddle, in dialogue with D.A.T Miner, W. Mignolo, J.Tshilumba Mukendi, R. Simbao, V. Tello (2023) 鈥楥ontemporaneities: Aanikoobijiganag (Ancestors // Descendants) and Decolonized Time鈥 in Tello V., Simbao R., Miner DAT., Mignolo W., Butt Z., Hern谩ndez 脡., Machiavello C., Future Souths: Aesthetics and Dialogues of the Global Souths, London and Melbourne: Third Text Publications and Discipline
*J. Biddle (2021) 鈥楥ountry, skin, canvas: The incorporeal art of Kathleen Petyarre鈥 in Marsh A., Doing Feminism: Women鈥檚 Art and Feminist Criticism in Australia, Solicited Reprint, Melbourne: Miegunyah Press, pp. 209, 469-473.
*J. Biddle (forthcoming 2021) in Doing Feminism: Women's Art and Feminist Criticism in Australia 1968-2018. Melbourne University Press
* J. Biddle (2020) 鈥楢pproaching the Sacred:听 from Art Centers to National Art Fairs鈥 in Tony Bennett, Deborah Stevenson, Fred Myers, and Tamara Winikoff (eds) The Australian Art Field: Practices, Policies, Markets: Routledge
* J. Biddle (2019) 鈥楳ilpirri: Activating the At-Risk鈥 in Kahn, Doug (ed), Energies in the Arts Cambridge: MIT Press
* J. Biddle (2018) 鈥楴otes on the Hapticity of Colour鈥 in Diana Young (ed), Re-materialising Colour London: Sean Kingston Publishers
* J. Biddle (2018) 鈥楾janpi Desert Weavers鈥 in Marcus Boone and Gabriel Levine (eds), Practice, Documents of Contemporary Art, Whitechapel Gallery and MIT Press
* J. Biddle (2018) 鈥楻emote Avant-Garde: Tjanpi Desert Weavers鈥 in David Howes (ed.),听Senses and Sensation: Critical and Primary Sources, vols. I-IV. London and New York: Bloomsbury Academic
* J. Biddle 鈥楶rovocations from the Margins: the production and curation of the Warburton Arts Project鈥 in Tu-Di Shen-Ti: Our Land Our Body Warburton: Warburton Arts Project (2013a)
* J. Biddle 鈥楻adical Realism and Other Possibilities in Contemporary Indigenous Intercultural Cinema鈥 in Atkinson, M. and Richardson, M. (eds) Traumatic Affect Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing (2013b)
* J. Biddle 鈥Yapa-Kurlangu Jukurrpa (Proper Human Art)鈥 in Art in the Digital Desert: Warnayaka Arts Lajamanu: Warnayaka Arts and Craft (2013c)
* J. Biddle, "鈥楲iterate Savages": Central Desert Painting as Writing鈥, in T. Berman (ed.), No Deal! Indigenous Art and the Politics of Possession, Santa Fe: SAR Press (2012)
* J. Biddle 鈥楾he new performativity of Western Desert Women鈥檚 Art鈥 in I. McLean (ed.), How Aborigines Invented the Idea of Contemporary Art: 1980-2006, Power Publications and the Institute of Modern Art (2012a)
* J. Biddle 鈥楻eading Aboriginal Art鈥 in I. McLean (ed.), How Aborigines Invented the Idea of Contemporary Art: 1980-2006, Power Publications and the Institute of Modern Art (2012b)
* J. Biddle, 鈥楽hame鈥, in J. Harding and D. Pribram (eds.), Emotions: A Cultural Studies Reader, London and New York: Routledge (2010)
* J. Biddle, 鈥楽entiment and Absence: the 鈥淪tolen Generation鈥 Apology鈥, in C. Busby, Sorry, Vancouver: St Mary鈥檚 University Art Gallery (2008a)
* J. Biddle, 鈥楾he Imperative to Feel: Recent Intercultural Australian Cinema鈥, in F. Fenner (ed.), Unimaginable: Australian Chapter, Sydney: Ivan Dougherty Gallery (2008b)
* J. Biddle 鈥楢nthropology as Eulogy: On Loss, Lies and License鈥 in J. Bennett and R. Kennedy (eds), World Memories: Personal Trajectories in Global Times, Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire and New York (2003)
* J. Biddle, 鈥業nscribing Identity: Skin as Country in the Central Desert鈥, in S. Ahmed and J. Stacey (eds) Thinking Through the Skin, London and New York: Routledge (2001) pp. 177-193
* J. Biddle, 鈥榃riting Without Ink: Literacy, Methodology and Cultural Difference鈥, in A. Lee and C. Poynton (eds), Culture and Text: Discourse and Methodology in Social Research and Cultural Studies, St. Leonards: Allen and Unwin (2000) pp.170-187
* J. Biddle, 鈥楧ot, Circle, Difference: Translating Central Desert Paintings鈥 in R. Diprose and R. Ferrell (eds) Cartographies: Poststructuralism and the mapping of bodies and spaces, St. Leonards: Allen and Unwin, (1991)
Journal Articles
* W.S.P Jampijiinpa, S. Dowsett and J. Biddle (forthcoming 2025) 鈥楳ilpirri Eco-Somatics: Hip Hop and Warlpiri Embodied Senses of Place鈥 forthcoming in world of music (new series)听special issue 鈥楨comusicology Indigenous Australia and Aotearoa (New Zeland)鈥 edited by听Georgia听Curran, Myfany Turpin and Payi Linda Ford 听
* S. Kite, J.Biddle and F. Marchetti (submitted, under review) 鈥極n stones, ethical failure and epistemological wormholes: a conversation between Suzanne Kite, Jennifer Biddle and 听听Florencia Marchetti鈥 special edition 鈥AI and Indigenous Data Sovereignty: Knowing, Engaging, and Learning听in New Data Contexts鈥 edited by Holly Randell-Moon, Jessica Russ Smith听and听Karaitiana Taiuru, forthcoming in Somatechnics:听 Journal of bodies - technology 鈥 power
*J. Biddle (forthcoming 2025) 鈥楨mily Kam Kngwarray鈥 Visual Anthropology Review, Spring
* r e a, J.Biddle, L. Hibberd 鈥楾he artificial as an intelligent Indigenous/indigenizing system鈥, Special Edition (Saunier, A. and Salter, C., eds.) Anthropology of the Artificial鈥 Visual Anthropology Review, 39:2 pp. 458-474
*J. Biddle (2019) 鈥Tjanpi Desert Weavers and the Art of Indigenous Survivance鈥 Special Edition (Neimanis A. and Hamilton J., eds.) 鈥淲hat Do We Want? Feminist Environment Humanities鈥 Australian Feminist Studies, 34:102, pp. 413-436.
*J. Biddle (2019) 鈥業nheritance鈥 Cultural Studies Review 25:2 pp. 237-240
* J. Biddle and Patrick, Wanta Steve Jampijinpa (2018) 鈥Not just ceremony, not just dance, not just idea: Milpirri as hyper-realism, a key word discussion鈥 in Biddle, J. and Tess, L. (eds) Special Edition 鈥楬yperrealism and other Indigenous forms of 鈥楩aking it with the Truth鈥 Visual Anthropology Review
* J. Biddle and Lea, Tess (2018) 鈥業ntroduction: Faking it With the Truth鈥 in Biddle, J. and Tess, L. (eds) Special Edition 鈥楬yperrealism and other Indigenous forms of 鈥楩aking it with the Truth鈥 Visual Anthropology Review
* J. Biddle, Lily Hibberd and Curtis Taylor (2016) 鈥楾he Phone Booth Project: Martu Media Memories: A conversation in three parts鈥 Public 54, 110-121
* J. Biddle 鈥楽entience and Sentimentality in Remembering Yayayai鈥 The Cinefiles 10 (Spring) 2016
* J. Biddle 鈥樷滿y Name is Danny鈥濃 Indigenous Animation as Hyper-realism鈥 Angelaki (2015) 20:3 105-113
* J. Biddle and Lisa Stefanoff 鈥榃hat is Same but Different and why does it matter鈥 Introduction to Cultural Studies Review Special Edition (eds. Biddle and Stefanoff) 鈥楽ame but Different: experimentation and innovation in Desert Arts鈥 2015 21:1 pp. 97-120
* J. Biddle, Tim Newth and David McMicken 鈥楳ilpirri: Jennifer Biddle in Discussion with Tracks Dance Company鈥 Cultural Studies Review Special Edition Same but Different (eds. Biddle and Stefanoff) 2015 21: 1 pp. 132-148
* J. Biddle 鈥楳aking (not taking) History: Yiwarra Kuju The Canning Stock Route鈥 Art Monthly, No. 252, August, 2012, pp. 32-36
* J. Biddle 鈥楢 Politics of Proximity: Tjanpi and other experimental Western Desert Art鈥 Studies in Material Thinking Vol 8, Paper 12, 2012, pp 1-15
* J. Biddle, 鈥楢rt Under Intervention: the radical ordinary of June Walkujukurr Richards鈥 Art Monthly, Issue 227, March 2010, pp 35-39
* J. Biddle, 鈥楥ulture as Contagion or Why Place No Longer Matters鈥, Emotion, Society And Space, 1:1, 2009, pp. 1-27
* J. Biddle, 鈥楤reast, Bodies, Art: Central Desert Women鈥檚 Paintings and the Politics of the Aesthetic Encounter鈥, Cultural Studies Review, 12:1, 2006, pp. 16-31
* J. Biddle Review Article 鈥楯ill Bennett Empathic Vision: Affect, Trauma and Contemporary Art鈥 AAANZ Journal of Art 6 (1), 2005, pp. 120-123
* J. Biddle, 鈥楥ountry, Skin, Canvas: The Intercorporeal Art of Kathleen Petyarre鈥, AAANZ Journal of Art, 4:1, 2003, pp. 61-76
* J. Biddle, 鈥楾he Warlpiri Alphabet and Other Colonial Fantasies鈥, Visual Communication, 3:1, 2002 pp. 267-291
* J. Biddle, 鈥楤ruises that Won鈥檛 Heal: Melancholic Identification and Other Ethnographic Hauntings鈥, Mortality, 7:1, 2002, pp. 96-110
* J. Biddle, 鈥楽hame鈥, Australian Feminist Studies, 12:26, 1997, pp. 227-240
* J. Biddle, 鈥榃hen Not Writing is Writing鈥, Australian Aboriginal Studies 1, 1996, pp. 21-33
* J.Biddle, 鈥楾he Anthropologist鈥檚 Body or what it means to break your neck in the field鈥 Australian Journal of Anthropology 1993 4 (3) 184-197
Public Forums and Other Publications (select)
听*J. Biddle Panel Convenor with Discussant Sudiipta Dowsett, presenters: Wanta Steve Patrick Jampijinpa (Warlpiri) Mitch King (Yaegl Bundjalung) Marc Peckham aka Monkey Marc 鈥楬ip Hop as Survivance鈥 for Big Trauma/Big Change: Building Tomorrow Today, BARC, 麻豆社madou, March 21-23, 2024 convened by Jill Bennett
* J.Biddle invited participant Art, Power, Inequalities Institute for Culture and Society (ICS)听and the Power Institute, SydneyOrganised by Tony Bennett, Mark Ledbury and Nicholas Croggan, 2024
* J. Biddle invited participant Decolonizing the Avant-Garde rue du Colonel Combes, 75007 Paris, June 12-13, 2024 听Organised by Sascha Bru, Fabrice Flahute, Iveta Slavkova and Isabel W眉nsche
*J. Biddle invited speaker 鈥楶erforming Country鈥, October 5th Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia. 听 听听
* J, Biddle S. Kite, D. Garneau, r e a, D. Howes, C. Salter 2020 Sensory Entanglements:听 Decolonising the Senses (Project Website)
*J.Biddle in conversation with convenors Chris Salter and Erik Adigard (2020) Sensory Orders Conversation #3 鈥 鈥榦n borders and difference鈥 听Thursday, December 10,
* J. Biddle 2020 鈥楲ess: Notes from the Field, Black Summer, Sydney 2019-2020鈥 Experimental Ethnography, Sensory Orders, Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Gdansk, Poland.
* J. Biddle 鈥業ntroduction to Visual Anthropology Lab鈥 麻豆社madou Art & Design Resources 2015, 麻豆社madou:听听听
* J. Biddle 鈥楢rt from Out There: Talking Point with Dr. Jennifer Biddle 鈥 麻豆社madou Uniken article 2013 听听听 YouTube: 麻豆社madouTV:
iTunesU - Art and Design collection:
听* J. Biddle 鈥楻emote Avant-garde鈥 麻豆社madou COFA Partnerships with Remote Aboriginal Communities COFATalks 2011
听 .
* J. Biddle and Tasman, Rosie Napurrurla 鈥Lamparnu Kala!鈥 A multi-media art installation including remixed sound and voice (Biddle and Tasman, 1989, recording Biddle 1989) and Yawulyu (traditional Women鈥檚 Song, Dance and body designs, recording Biddle 1991); Yukurukuru (Women鈥檚 ceremonial dancing boards, in ochre, acrylic and oil) by Tasman 1989, 1991 and 2009, and acrylic painting 鈥Lamparnu Kala鈥 (Tasman 2007), accompanied by installed text 鈥Lamparnu Kala鈥 (Biddle 2009). Sound Mixing by Hugh Benjamin. Interventions: Experiments between Ethnography and art, Macquarie University and Australian Anthropological Association Conference 2009
* J.Biddle 鈥楴ot a Provenance, not a Collaboration: Lamparnu Kala!鈥 in Deger, J. (ed) Interventions: experiments between Ethnography and Art Sydney: Macquarie University, 2009, pp. 32-33
* J. Biddle 鈥Wurra Wiyi or Why I Love Speaking Warlpiri鈥 Voice of the Land: Federation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages Issue 41 October, 2009
* J. Biddle in conversation with Warwick Thornton 麻豆社madou YouTube 鈥楩lash of Indigenous Life鈥: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v99ThZbqmI 2008听