Vernon Ah Kee believes that Australia isn't the dream country that many perceive it to be, especially when it comes to human rights and equality. The intention in his works are to show this to the audience and reveal Australia's true identity and the government's actions in the past towards Aboriginal Australians.
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Vernon Ah Kee was inspired by seeing his great grandparents' and grandfather's picture in the State Library in Brisbane. What stood out was their "gaze" and is what mainly inspired Vernon Ah Kee. His great grandparents lived on Great Palm Island in North Queensland. Vernon Ah Kee stated "if you did something wrong on one of the other missions or reserves, you were sent to Palm island" meaning that it was similar to a prison, which is why his great grandparents had their unique and distinctive "gaze" of emptiness and shame.
Artwork
Vernon Ah Kee
Hallmarks of the Hungry …show more content…
It also demonstrates how Aborigines were socially discriminated and were treated as though they were pests.
The difference in tone is essential to create the shape. Furthermore, the thin lines in the background create a cobweb effect which show how the figure is stuck and is trapped in isolation.
The most important element is how the shape of the human is faded and is being constricted. The lack of colour in the artwork shows the depression and loneliness of Aboriginal Australians who were separated.
In conclusion, the reason I chose this artwork is because I admire the way Vernon Ah Kee has illustrated how the Aboriginal Australians felt when they were being oppressed by the European