The term ‘black people’ has become something similar to a taboo. The stigma surrounding ‘those people’ leaves some of us cringing, and conversation regarding them is often avoided at all cost. Aborigines, their welfare and ultimate reality is just, well, something we laid back larrikins find too serious to discuss. In a paradox between comedy and criticism Aboriginal artists Richard Bell and Tony Albert are breaking through the barriers and confronting viewers in a new way that has guaranteed shock value. The contemporary art scene has allowed these artists to portray their message in a way that differs greatly from their predecessors. Artists such as Jack Britten, a renowned traditional artist, created works in which the meaning was often lost in translation and therefore was not fully appreciated. Through the use of new media a completely different meaning can be derived. A seemingly comedic and somewhat flippant approach to Aboriginal treatment has been brought to light, but please don’t be fooled by any facade, these men mean business.
Richard Bell, Aborigine, artist and master of provocation. His work is a sure-fire way of grabbing people’s attention and making them feel uncomfortable; I bet most of you cringed at the mere title of this piece. That is exactly what Bell achieves in his artwork Bell’s Theorem (Trikky Dikky and Friends) (2005). He doesn’t want the viewer to feel comfortable and complacent about the constant struggle of the Aboriginal people, he wants to grab your attention and evoke change. Bell successfully stretches the boundaries of Aboriginal artwork whilst also challenging our stereotypical beliefs about what is Aboriginal. As one views this vivid work, the left panel that reads ‘Australian art, it’s an... The rest of this article is available to subscribers of Eyeline