Jordan Ardler

Jordan Ardler has completed a Bachelor of Design at UNSW Art & Design.

Jordan won recognition at the 2015 Nura Gili Indigenous Awards Night for her ongoing volunteer work within the Indigenous student community. During her four-year degree, she undertook specializations in the area of graphics and spatial design. To complement this knowledge base, Jordan also honed her photography and project organizational skills. 

Jordan’s been a radio host on the Koori Radio program, Young Black & Deadly, a longstanding Youth Worker at the La Perouse Bummers Youth Haven, and a project officer, graphic designer, and aged-care worker at the Guriwan Aboriginal Corporation.

For her graduating exhibition, Jordan displayed a project that explored the broad and often misunderstood issue of Aboriginal identity. The I AM Project (The Unseen Identity: Identifying Aboriginal Peoples) was politically motivated and aimed to inform all members of Australian society of the complex nature of Aboriginal identity, including the internal and personal navigation of self-identity as well as the projected assumptions made by others. 

Jordan explains, “Aboriginal peoples are often deemed to have dark skin, dark hair and brown eyes. These are features some Aboriginal peoples inherit, but not so the entire population.” Jordan asked the viewer to query how and why assumptions as to someone’s identity have been made, and if these assumptions are fair or right.   

She says the project had two goals: the first to affirm Aboriginal identity and the inclusion of those people who do not fit the stereotypical image of an Aboriginal person; and the second to broaden people’s thinking and awareness of this complex subject.