wink
Photographing Indigenous Australians as a non-Indigenous Australian brings the unease of a tourist that relates to our histories of invasion, the anthropological gaze and the possible stealing of spirit through photography.
Those in these portraits have taken up an active role by winking. As the photographer/viewer you wonder what message is included in the wink and what role you may have possibly agreed to play as part of receiving it. This is made more challenging for most of us because of the need for intercultural translation that leads to an endless loop of uncertainty. However, it leads to an appreciation for the hybrid and complex use of codes, including humour, central to contemporary Indigenous urban life.
This work was inspired by a clever story shared by Djon Mundine.
