Gordon Bennett has created numerous artworks commenting on social issues about aboriginal & indigenous heritage. His artworks often consist of mixed media of acrylic & oil, or sketching. Outsider is an artwork Bennett has created in 1988. His painting comments on the indigenous culture getting their revenge which they never got. Gordon was born in Monto, Queensland on 10th of august 1955, & sadly passed away in 2014. Bennett was born into a family of Aboriginal & Anglo-Celtic heritage. Throughout his primary school & high school years Bennett always thought of himself as an average student despite excelling in art, English & social studies. At the age of 15 Gordon was attending Brisbane state high school dropped out of high school and worked …show more content…
The image is set inside ‘bedroom in Arles’ the room’s walls are stamped in bloody handprints. The centre of attention is a decapitated aboriginal man, with blood shooting from his body merging into Van Gogh’s appropriated painting ‘Starry Night’. The man appears to be posing in a very exhausted way. In front of this aboriginal man are two be-headed heads, these heads seem to resemble a European marble-like statues. The bedroom is an unfinished room layering nicely over Vincent’s ‘Starry Night’. The envisioned social concern Bennett has raised is coming from an aboriginals’ perspective & how aboriginals have always been fighting for themselves from white man but always end up getting killed. Thousands of intelligent & caring indigenous beings were lost and killed when white beings invaded Australia, Gordon is raising the concern of this through his …show more content…
Bennett has appropriated ‘Starry Night’ & ‘Bedroom in Arles’ as a dreamy, humble & calming visual effect and juxtaposes that with the gruesome & unsettling murder scene taking place in the painting. The bedroom in the painting appears to be an incomplete room, the walls are unfinished and a starry sky is seen, Bennett has used this to emphasize the only time where an aboriginal man seeks revenge on white man is only in his dream, but even in his dream he is still dies. Bennett’s use of vibrant & warm red on the walls & bed contrasts from the cool & peaceful colours used elsewhere in the painting emphasizing the and really making it stand
Through the three pieces, the landscapes reflect a painting style is more often associated with European Romantic art, however, unlike the others, the central piece showcases the sky painted with miniscule dots, a technique common within Indigenous art (Lingard 2014, 44). However, the fact that the sky is the only piece of the composition painted with this technique and is placed in the background while more European inspired art and images are placed in the foreground is potentially symbolic of the marginalisation of Indigenous people and their culture in contemporary Australian society. Within Bennett’s own life, he was brought up without his Aboriginal heritage ever being spoken of, describing it himself as “overwhelming Euro-Australian” (McLean 1996, 20). Thus, within his artworks, a dotted circle at the top of each composition includes black footprints facing away from the circle, which matches his personal experience of Indigenous culture being ‘left behind’ in contemporary Australian society. The artist lived in a time where he was connected to a variety of Indigenous experiences including his own as well as the servitude of his mother, and thus through the combination of these varying art techniques, Bennett evokes both discord and further represents the marginalisation of Indigenous culture
The idea that indigenous Australian communities are underprivileged and do not receive the same justice that the white community accrues is represented through Jay Swan and his interactions with the corrupt white police officers and the indigenous locals of the town. My empathetic response to the text as a whole was influenced directly by way the text constructs these ideas as well as my knowledge of the way indigenous Australians are represented in the mainstream media and the behaviour of the police force as an institution. These contextual factors and the way Sen has constructed ideas influenced me to empathise with the indigenous
The contributions and achievements of Indigenous role models continue to make substantial impacts upon our history in areas such as the arts, sport, education, science and more increasingly; the world of Politics. Modern Australia is recognising and celebrating the achievements of Aboriginal people more than ever before, where the social landscape is changing (albeit slowly) as a result. The gradual change of peoples ingrained preconceptions, unfounded ideas and prejudiced notions are being challenged and ultimately transformed.
Gordon Bennett and Tony Albert are both urban-based artists who explore their Indigenous backgrounds and the issues that are centered on their culture. Gordon Bennett’s issue for society is the denial of Indigenous
“The more you know, the less you need.” The attitude from White Australians towards Indigenous Australians was extremely unfriendly, and due to the fact that Aboriginal Australians had knowledge about things the European settlers believed did not matter they treated as if they were uneducated nuisances. The aboriginal people believed that the land they had lived on for generations belonged to them; however the White Australians came and took the land. This also means that the Europeans took what the Indigenous people valued most, and that was their land. Authors and directors convey different attitudes, values and beliefs in different ways, however it still has the same impact.
The campaign is a great representation of the Utilitarianism theory as its ultimate aim is to eradicate and at the very least reduce discrimination to people of an indigenous decent pushing for maximum satisfaction for this group of people who are all affected by this in one way or another. The campaign incorporates a number of factors that show good ethical decision-making. This is mainly evident throughout the campaign slogan that is “No one should be made to feel like crap, just for being who they are” (Beyond Blue 2014) this in itself pushes viewers to question their own personal thoughts and actions and draws in for further analysis on how we as Australians treat one another. It also expresses the damages that racial discrimination can cause and ultimately it is to raise awareness of both racial discrimination and mental illness’. It was also depicted well as the actors are displayed as healthy, kind and caring citizens and pushes that they are as capable as anyone else as it tries to beat the stereotype that is surrounded by the Indigenous
...rial covered in the unit Aboriginal People that I have been studying at the University of Notre Dame Fremantle, Aboriginal people have had a long history of being subjected to dispossession and discriminatory acts that has been keep quite for too long. By standing together we are far more likely to achieve long lasting positive outcomes and a better future for all Australians.
The text discusses issues of racism, strength, and resilience and the reader maybe able to relate to these topics evens if they have not personally experienced them. The discussion of counter-history teaches us that there are always two sides to a story. Overall, Maybe Tomorrow demonstrates the need to value Indigenous knowledge and voice. In order to become a stronger nation, Australian people must recognize their strengths and weaknesses. Boori explains that the biggest weakness is the lack of recognition of Aboriginal people in Australia (Pryor et al., 2010, p. 174). It is important to recognize progress of accepting Indigenous culture and history, and we are slowly getting to the point where we need to be. With continued progress, Australia will be at a point of full acceptance and recognition of Indigenous people and their
The power structure between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people always plays some role to impede a kind of equal dialogue between them. Non-aboriginal people on average are more affluent than aboriginals. Also, the social infrastructures in some off-reserve major metropolitan cities are much more mature than on-reserve areas. The inequality between aboriginals and non-aboriginals makes non-aboriginal policy makers be inclined to bring their own sense of superiority to the analysis of aboriginal issues, which could likely lead to policies with biases and prejudices. Perhaps an effective conversation between aboriginal and government can lead to a better outcome because aboriginals’ own voice would be heard. In this essay, I will demonstrate why, when compared with Flanagan’s assimilationist proposal, Cairns’ concept of “citizen plus” is more persuasive as an effective approach to aboriginal policy. Firstly, I would outline the debate between Thomas Flanagan and Alan Cairns on aboriginal policy. A brief compare and contrast between their opinions will be made. Secondly, with some other academic sources in my mind, I would state the reasons why I stand aside with Cairns more than with Flanagan. Some advisable
The movie educates people on the fact of inequality back in the 1900’s between Indigenous Australians and white Australians and about the biggest case in Australia which has changed our history. This movie shows the viewers about some of the injustice the Indigenous Australians suffered due to white Australian people's actions because of their colour and race. The response that was intended was to feel bad for all of the constant injustice that the Indigenous Australians were receiving due to the actions of white Australian
Within Australia, beginning from approximately the time of European settlement to late 1969, the Aboriginal population of Australia experienced the detrimental effects of the stolen generation. A majority of the abducted children were ’half-castes’, in which they had one white parent and the other of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. Following the government policies, the European police and government continued the assimilation of Aboriginal children into ‘white’ society. Oblivious to the destruction and devastation they were causing, the British had believed that they were doing this for “their [Aborigines] own good”, that they were “protecting” them as their families and culture were deemed unfit to raise them. These beliefs caused ...
The assimilation policy was a policy that existed between the 1940’s and the 1970’s, and replaced that of protectionism. Its purpose was to have all persons of aboriginal blood and mixed blood living like ‘white’ Australians, this established practice of removing Aboriginal children (generally half-bloods) from their homes was to bring them up without their culture, and they were encouraged to forget their aboriginal heritage. Children were placed in institutions where they could be 'trained' to take their place in white society. During the time of assimilation Aboriginal people were to be educated for full citizenship, and have access to public education, housing and services. However, most commonly aboriginal people did not receive equal rights and opportunities, for example, their wages were usually less than that paid to the white workers and they often did not receive recognition for the roles they played in the defence of Australia and their contribution to the cattle industry. It wasn’t until the early 1960’s that expendi...
Painted by Vincent Van Gogh during a final burst of activity in Auvers before his suicide in July, Houses at Auvers features many of the characteristic elements typical of Van Gogh; the experimentation with color, texture, and thick brush strokes. This painting depicts the view and landscape in early summer, highlighting the patchwork of houses and the rolling greenery. Van Gogh’s unique, thick brush strokes lead the eyes through the painting, create texture and patterns and also highlight and shadow objects in the early summer sun, while his experimentation with color creates contrast and a bright, vibrant image.
Summary of Text: ‘The Redfern Address’ is a speech that was given to a crowd made up of mainly indigenous Australians at the official opening of the United Nations International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples in Redfern Park, New South Wales. This text deals with many of the challenges that have been faced by Indigenous Australians over time, while prompting the audience to ask themselves, ‘How would I feel?’ Throughout the text, Keating challenges the views of history over time, outlines some of the outrageous crimes committed against the Indigenous community, and praises the indigenous people on their contribution to our nation, despite the way they have been treated.
Vincent Van Gogh’s piece titled Starry Night, represents the artist’s insanity and isolation from the outside world. Van Gogh painted the view that was seen from the room, mixed with the emotions he felt inside. Starry Night is an oil painting on canvas and is two dimensional. The painting is found in the Museum of Modern Art located in New York. The variety of elements and principles of art, help to bring the painting to life, and help viewers understand what the art could represent.