Cameron hayes

 

Opening fri 3rd august 2012 6-9pm

 

image: Mathias Ungara captures Hajime Toyashima – 19th February 1942 2006 Oil on linen 254 x 167.5cm

 

The Incomplete History of Milikapiti

Melbourne-based artist Cameron Hayes brings his unique and confronting body of work, The Incomplete History of Milikapiti to Alcaston Gallery for the first time. Cameron Hayes lived for two years on Milikapiti, Melville Island (one of the Tiwi Islands), 105 kilometres off the north-coast of Darwin. Cameron re-tells his own fragmented version of Milikapiti’s history, as he observes the change to roles, power and purpose of the Tiwi people since the introduction of White culture.

The crucial thing to understand with Cameron Hayes’ approach is that he is truly an impartial observer. It is not only a re-telling of Milikapiti history, it is a narrative ploy. He uses his experiences, the visual feast of Tiwi culture and history, as a metaphor for universal themes. The displacement of the young, the old, alternative cultures, values, anything that contravenes the structure and value of the dominant society becomes casualties along the way.

This show is not a photographically accurate account of Milikapiti, this is my story and I get to decide who's in it and what they do.

(Cameron Hayes, 2012)

 

Half way to Milikapiti from Darwin the old Tiwi man admitted they were lost – 29th July 1964, 2005
Oil & enamel on linen 213.5 x 198 cm

 

Dr Clyde Fenton delivers yet another baby – 7th March 1932, 2006
Oil on linen 44.5 x 53.5 cm

 

The least convincing rap band in the world – 11th August 1997, 2012
Oil on linen 31 x 41 cm

 

 

For a full catalogue and more info, please contact the gallery directly.