June 30th, 2020

Unknown Identity 1990

I don't like to 'explain' my paintings, I prefer to let them speak for themselves, But because this painting from 1990 is old and no longer in existence, I will make an exception.

'Unknown Identity' was painted in art school at a time when I was immersed in reading about Aboriginal culture and matters of Australian identity. The apparent gulf between a sustainable way of life in tune with the land, lived by it's traditional inhabitants, and the obviously finite and disposable consumerism of 1990 in which I lived, held a deep fascination for me. At the time I was working as a studio assistant for Howard Arkley and was also very interested in the painting methods I observed in the paintings of Gareth Sansom who was exhibiting prominently in Melbourne at the time. 

At the time, this was the largest canvas I had painted and I completed it in two days and nights. The straight forward depiction of the koala was included to represent the unadulterated Australian habitat in which I perceived that Aboriginal traditions evolved. The apple half was intended as a symbol of cultivation and the manipulation of nature by humans. The line drawing of the Tasmanian Devil head was referencing a graphic art representation as opposed to the literal treatment of the koala. The red comic head with the protruding tongue was an invention supposed to acknowledge  modern, shallow popular cartoon culture as a counter to the deep tradition of Dreamtime stories being passed down through generations.  The totem below the comic head was included to suggest generic 'primitiveness'.  The figure with the fish is self explanatory. The  white pelt with the black spots is included to signify a non specific archaic human existence. The background is an attempt to suggest ochre rocks and earth. The yellow spray canned spots with the drips where simply a pictorial device and that they also implied graffiti tags was a welcome addition. I was always aware that there are problematic aspects with the themes I tackled in the painting and although it was an important painting for my development, I was never comfortable with it being seen.

When I presented the painting for assessment at art school, it received a good response from the lecturers but for me the most telling response was from a senior student that was a staunch feminist. All she had to say about it was that there is and erect penis right in the centre that overwhelms the painting. Until she pointed it out, I was oblivious to the feature she highlighted. From then on that is all I could really see. After I graduated from art school, I kept the painting for a few years before destroying it one night after a few too many red wines.

The next canvas I painted was the triptych seen below. It is addressing the same themes as 'Unknown Identity' but I am much happier with it and I still have it.

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Triptych 1991