Images(5)

Captain James Crook edition 4 of 4

Artist Jason Wing

Subject or historical figure Captain James Cook (English, 1728 - 1779)

Date2013

Object number00055322

NameSculpture

MediumBronze

DimensionsOverall: 638 × 540 × 270 mm, 24900 g

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection

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DescriptionA bronze bust of Captain James Cook by artist Jason Wing. 'Crook' takes the form of a classical portrait bronze bust overlaid with a very modern balaclava. Through this contemporary piece the artist challenges foundation narratives of the colonial history of Australia from an Aboriginal perspective; 'The truth is Australia was stolen by armed robbery'.HistoryThe first iteration of this artwork was titled "Australia was stolen by armed robbery" which won the Parliament of NSW Indigenous Art Prize in 2012. This work took the form of a ready-made sculptural bust which the artist purchased on gum tree, to which he added a balaclava. This work was subject to an alleged intellectual property and moral rights challenge, with the artist also potentially facing a civil suit for defaming Captain Cook's good name. Nothing eventuated from all of these potential legal challenges except that they spurred the arist to recreate the work as a new balaclava-clad bronze bust. As a result of this work he received death threats and hate mail. Media identities Andrew Bolt and Steve Price publicly criticised Wing in mainstream media and much more.SignificanceThis powerful artwork is significant in providing an Indigenous perspective on the dialogue about how Captain Cook discovered Australia, challenging the notion of ownership and Terra Nullius.

The artist Jason Wing is a Sydney-based Biripi artist from NSW who strongly identifies with his Chinese and Aboriginal heritage. He feels that it is really important that the work is in a NSW institution located close to where Cook landed and that there is a great synergy and conversation between the work "Crookie", ANMM and the HMAS ENDEAVOUR replica. This to him is a very exciting and significant site-specific link.