Email us:
[email protected]
Follow us:

NAS Retake: Karla Dickens

NAS Connect

NAS Retake: Karla Dickens

by

Karla Dickens is an artist of Wiradjuri, Irish and German heritage, whose work challenges notions associated with gender, inequality, race and violence against Aboriginal women. Her work courageously tackles confronting issues and enables conversations about Aboriginal disadvantage that continues to exist in contemporary Australian society. She incorporates her own text and poetry to emphasise the message and support her artwork. In 2018 Dickens made a body of work that referenced ‘the lucky country”, a phrase coined by Donald Horne in 1964. Dickens stated ‘I was grateful and relieved to find that Donald Horne was ironically condemning Australia for its complacency and failure to acknowledge its history. My playful and straight-forward observation is that you are lucky in Australia if you are white and a bastard if you are Aboriginal.’ (Dickens, 2018)

Unlucky II and Unlucky IV are assemblages on board made from rusty oil and petrol cans that Dickens found whilst rummaging in a dump near a closed Aboriginal mission-camp. Renowned for her practice of repurposing everyday items, she has placed these objects together with text; the oil cans remind us of the conflicts between white colonisers who seized Aboriginal land and exploited it, impervious to the systematic abuse and oppression of traditional owners. Dickens uses the words ‘Unlucky’ and ‘OUT’ (of luck) in relation to the people who never enjoyed the benefits of the so-called ‘lucky country’. However ironic Horne was being with his terminology, he probably was not thinking about Australia’s first people; but if he had been, he would have agreed that they were indeed out of luck.

Want to find out more?

Keep your eyes peeled on our page as we feature new works and artists straight from the NAS Archive and Collection. Follow the hashtag on Instagram to stay up-to-date with our latest posts.

Images: Karla Dickens, Unlucky II and Unlucky IV, 2017, mixed media, 110 cm x 110 cm, National Art School Collection, gift of Karla Dickens, 2018

Share:
#Follow us on Instagram

We’re Hiring!

Lecturer Ceramics - Application Deadline Sunday 20 October

The Lecturer Ceramics is primarily responsible for teaching and supervision at all levels within the degree programs at NAS, including the development of appropriate teaching resources and related course administration within the Ceramics department. The role also requires a broad contribution to NAS operations including participation in School committees, events, student recruitment and promotional activities. You will have an excellent record of subject development and delivery in the field of Ceramics within a higher education setting.

Visit the link in bio to learn more.

View

Oct 6

Open
We’re Hiring! Lecturer Ceramics - Application Deadline Sunday 20 October The Lecturer Ceramics is primarily responsible for teaching and supervision at all levels within the degree programs at NAS, including the development of appropriate teaching resources and related course administration within the Ceramics department. The role also requires a broad contribution to NAS operations including participation in School committees, events, student recruitment and promotional activities. You will have an excellent record of subject development and delivery in the field of Ceramics within a higher education setting. Visit the link in bio to learn more.

Spend your weekend at ZAHALKAWORLD: an artist’s archive, a major survey exhibition of Anne Zahalka, one of Australia’s most highly regarded photo-media artists.

A Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh) touring exhibition in a new way.

Plan your visit at the link in bio.

_

Anne Zahalka, The Sunbather #1, 1989, from the series Bondi: playground of the Pacific chromogenic print, 49 x 49 cm, Courtesy of the artist, Arc One Gallery, Melbourne and Dominik Mersch Gallery, Sydney.

View

Oct 2

Open
Spend your weekend at ZAHALKAWORLD: an artist’s archive, a major survey exhibition of Anne Zahalka, one of Australia’s most highly regarded photo-media artists. A Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh) touring exhibition in a new way. Plan your visit at the link in bio. _ Anne Zahalka, The Sunbather #1, 1989, from the series Bondi: playground of the Pacific chromogenic print, 49 x 49 cm, Courtesy of the artist, Arc One Gallery, Melbourne and Dominik Mersch Gallery, Sydney.

“I love the magic of watching a photo develop, but I also loved the idea of paintings by the great masters. I found myself being drawn to the art canon and then finding my own visual language to place it in a contemporary setting.” - Anne Zahalka

Read more about Anne Zahalka and her major survey exhibition ZAHALKAWORLD – an artist’s archive in The Sydney Morning Herald’s profile at the link in bio.

A Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh) touring exhibition in a new way.
_

Anne Zahalka, The Cook (Michael Schmidt/architect, cook) 1987, from the series Resemblance, silver dye bleach print 80 x 80 cm, Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash, Collection acquired with the assistance of The Robert Salzer Foundation 2019. Images courtesy of the artist, Arc One Gallery, Melbourne and Dominik Mersch Gallery, Sydney.

View

Sep 28

Open
“I love the magic of watching a photo develop, but I also loved the idea of paintings by the great masters. I found myself being drawn to the art canon and then finding my own visual language to place it in a contemporary setting.” - Anne Zahalka Read more about Anne Zahalka and her major survey exhibition ZAHALKAWORLD – an artist’s archive in The Sydney Morning Herald’s profile at the link in bio. A Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh) touring exhibition in a new way. _ Anne Zahalka, The Cook (Michael Schmidt/architect, cook) 1987, from the series Resemblance, silver dye bleach print 80 x 80 cm, Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash, Collection acquired with the assistance of The Robert Salzer Foundation 2019. Images courtesy of the artist, Arc One Gallery, Melbourne and Dominik Mersch Gallery, Sydney.

We’re Hiring!

Academic Administrator - Application Deadline Sunday 29 September

The Academic Administrative Assistant plays a crucial support role within the National Art School (NAS), providing administrative assistance for academic affairs and executive support to key leadership positions. This role works closely with the Academic Leadership Team to ensure efficient operations and support for NAS’s academic functions. This role is a six month fixed term contract, four days per week.

Learning Designer - Application Deadline Sunday 29 September

The Learning Designer is a crucial role within the National Art School (NAS), supporting the Head of Learning and Teaching in curriculum development and program reaccreditation. This position is responsible for managing the current learning portal and overseeing the transition to a new SharePoint/LMS system, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, student-centric online learning experiences.

Visit the link in bio to learn more.

View

Sep 27

Open
We’re Hiring! Academic Administrator - Application Deadline Sunday 29 September The Academic Administrative Assistant plays a crucial support role within the National Art School (NAS), providing administrative assistance for academic affairs and executive support to key leadership positions. This role works closely with the Academic Leadership Team to ensure efficient operations and support for NAS’s academic functions. This role is a six month fixed term contract, four days per week. Learning Designer - Application Deadline Sunday 29 September The Learning Designer is a crucial role within the National Art School (NAS), supporting the Head of Learning and Teaching in curriculum development and program reaccreditation. This position is responsible for managing the current learning portal and overseeing the transition to a new SharePoint/LMS system, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, student-centric online learning experiences. Visit the link in bio to learn more.
Loading...