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Gordon Bennett

1995-2014

BiographyGordon bennett began painting full-time in 1986 when he left his job at telecom to study fine art. He had not learnt about his aboriginal heritage until he was 11 years old. His mother, who had spent time at cherbourg mission, had not wanted him to know. Going to art school was cathartic. Until then his entire education and cultural background had been predominantly european, although his mother was aboriginal, the values and ethos of the house were white australian. By going to art college i was coming out saying, i am of aboriginal decent, i am aboriginal. This was a big step, letting people know. You can't really believe how hard it was to just say those three little words i am an aboriginal.*

Gordon was born in 1955 at monto Queensland and now lives in Brisbane, he graduated from queensland college of art in brisbane in 1988. In 1989 he had his first solo exhibition and in 1991 his exceptional work earned him the prestigious moet & chandon australian art fellowship. It was during his fellowship year that he produced this print.

In Bennett's work he looks at history, questioning the prevailing accepted accounts of discovery and settlement. His work penetration depicts the violence of black and white australian history. At the center of the painting, figures of european 'pioneers' row their boat, destroying the landscape of dots, a reference to aboriginal tradition style painting. The european figures are taken from an illustration in a primary school text book. Bennet has adopted a strategy of reverse appropriation - taking images from european art and illustrations - to counter the widespread appropriation of aboriginal designs by non-aboriginal people.

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