Captain Cook Crowned with his Broken Boat
Date2020
Object number00055889
NamePainting
MediumAcrylic on linen
DimensionsOverall: 760 × 760 × 27 mm
Copyright© Mylene Holroyd
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection
DescriptionThis work was created by Mylene Holroyd from the Aboriginal community of Pormpuraaw in Cape York Peninsula.
History'Captain Cook Crowned with his Broken Boat' was exhibited in the 'Undercurrents – Cook 2020' exhibition that addressed the imbalance of (written) colonial history Vs First Peoples’ (oral) history, through a collection of paintings, works on paper, sculpture, photography and textile installations. Artists such as Mylene survey the impact of Cook and what he symbolises to First Peoples’ of Queensland. The exhibition revealed the Blak resilience of sovereign nations. 'Undercurrents' is a platform for truth-telling, from an individual, family, community or First Peoples’ world view.
Mylene Holroyd said about this work :
‘This year is the 150 year celebration of Captain Cook discovering our country. The place was filled with Aboriginal people who owned the land. We have been here from the beginning. We see Cook as a mongrel invader. When he came here people told him to go away but he did not listen and brought back all his mob’.
Significance
