Cas Bennetto

Chief Executive Officer of Kimberley Foundation Australia

By Billie Ooi-Ng Lean Gaik

CEO of Kimberley Foundation Australia, Cas Bennetto holds her audience captive as she tells the story of the Kimberley rock art in Western Australia. “The Kimberley rock art is one of the world’s largest, most varied and visually spectacular body of figurative rock art, virtually unknown and unexplored.”

Her mesmerising English-accented voice is spellbinding as she weaves romantic tales of early human migration. “We’re the only foundation set up to look after, research, preserve and promote the Kimberley rock art. Carrying national and international significance, the story behind this rock art is the story of Australia’s earliest settlement 50,000 to 60,000 years ago. There are images of animals, lifestyle, climate condition, food and their beliefs. It is very important for Australians to adopt, not a Eurocentric view, but our very own deep understanding of this country.”

“The Kimberley rock art is one of the world’s largest, most varied and visually spectacular body of figurative rock art, virtually unknown and unexplored.”

Born in Tasmania, with English and Australian parentage, Cas graduated from the University of Melbourne and has held executive positions at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art, the Australian British Chamber of Commerce and the Charles Darwin University before joining KFA as CEO. Cas holds a Master of Arts in Organisational Communication and was recently appointed a Trustee to the Board of Trust for Nature.

“Philanthropy is well understood in Melbourne.  Now the emphasis is on fundraising, marketing, social media awareness and raising the profile of the Kimberley rock art region which spans an area bigger than Germany.”

“We want all Australians to feel joy, respect and awe that the rock art is here and therefore it needs to be cherished”

Following the remarkable achievement in the establishment of the Chair in Rock Art at the University of Western Australia, KFA recently announced a new Chair in Archaeological Science at the University of Melbourne. “Both of these are Chairs in the perpetuity of rock art.  We have introduced rock art to Australia’s public consciousness, and now we face a huge task ahead of us in terms of promoting it.”

Australia’s earliest settlement story is the story of global human migration. Rock art can convey the story of Australia. “Indigenous Australians crafted the rock art and they are the primary custodians.  At KFA we want to instil deep interest and pride in this heritage. We want all Australians to feel joy, respect and awe that the rock art is here and therefore it needs to be cherished.”

澳大利亚金伯利基金会 (Kimberley Foundation Australia-KFA) 首席执行员 Cas Bennetto 在叙述澳大利亚西部金伯利岩石绘画艺术的故事时，投入的神态轻易打动听众。“金伯利岩石艺术是世界上最大、最多样、视觉上最壮观的具象岩石艺术，几乎是未知与未被真正
探索。”

她以令人着迷的浓厚英式口音诉说所编织的早期人类迁徙的美丽故事。“我们是唯一关注、研究、保存和推广金伯利岩石艺术的基金会。这个岩石艺术的背后，也承载着国家和国际的意义，是澳大利亚从最早5万至6万年前定居的故事。有动物、生活方式、气候条件、食物和信仰的元素画面。对澳大利亚人来说，这非常重要，我们要接纳的并非欧洲中心的观点，而是对这个国家的深刻理解。”

“金伯利岩石艺术是世界上最大、最多样、视觉上最壮观的具象岩石艺术，几乎是未知与未被真正探索。”

出生在塔斯马尼亚，拥有英国和澳大利亚血统，而Cas Bennetto毕业于墨尔本大学后，在任职KFA的首席执行员前，曾在悉尼当代艺术博物馆、澳大利亚英国商会和Charles Darwin大学担任行政职务。她拥有交流沟通组织的文科硕士学位，并于最近成为大自然信托委员会的受托人。

“在墨尔本推行慈善事业能够获得良好的响应。现在的重点是筹集资金、营销、广宣社交媒体意识，以及提高金伯利岩石艺术区域的知名度，这个区域跨度面积比德国还大。”

“我们希望所有的澳大利亚人都能对此保持欣喜、尊重和敬畏之心，加倍珍惜岩石艺术的存在。”

在西澳大学设立的岩石艺术学术交流中取得显著的成就之后，KFA最近在墨尔本大学宣布了一项考古科学的新教案。这两个交流课题都是与永恒的岩石艺术相关。“我们已经将岩石艺术引入到澳大利亚的公众意识中，现在面临着一项巨大任务，就是推动它的发展。”

澳大利亚最早的定居点源自全球人类迁徙过程，并透过岩石艺术传递澳大利亚的故事。“澳大利亚土著精心制作了岩石艺术，他们是最原始的托管人。通过KFA，我们想要培养大家对这一文化传统的浓厚兴趣和自豪感。我们希望所有的澳大利亚人都能对此保持欣喜、尊重和敬畏之心，加倍珍惜岩石艺术的存在。”