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Photographic series 'Look who's calling the kettle black'
MadeSummary
Object No.
94/69/1Object Statement
Photographic series, computer generated, 'Look who's calling the kettle black', paper, by Rea, Australia, 1992Physical Description
A series of three colour, computer generated photographic prints on paper. Each has an historic black and white image of an aboriginal woman in servant's costume imposed on a colour image of a domestic appliance on a different colour ground. Each has a dictionary definition of the title printed in black in the upper left of the print.'Lubra': Yellow ground, with an electric frypan framing an aboriginal servant's face.
'Servant': Red ground with a kettle framing a portrait of the artist's grandmother in maid uniform.
'Domestic': Green ground with an electric iron framing an aboriginal servant.
Marks
1. Front upper left:LUBRA{'Lu:bra} n. Austral. an Aboriginal woman./[C19: from a native Australian language.Artists signature: Rea '92.-2. SERVANT {'se;vent} a, 1. a person employed to work for another, esp./one who performs household duties. Artist's signature: Rea '92. -3. DOMESTIC {de'MESTIK} adj. 5. Household servant.Short URL
https://ma.as/141721Dimensions
Width
280 mmProduction
Made
Designed
Notes
The series was designed and made by Aboriginal artist Rea of Glebe, New South Wales.Rea's family moved from Coonabarabran in Gamilaroi country, northern New South Wales, to Sydney when Rea was six. As an adult Rea enrolled at the Eora Centre where she received support to continue her artistic endeavours. She completed a Fine Arts Degree, majoring in photography at COFA, Sydney in 1993. The issues Rea addresses through her work include the effects of European colonisation as manifested in the marginalisation of Aboriginal society and in particular Aboriginal women, the affirmation of Koori identity and the impact of Christianity on Aboriginal culture. By using new technologies Rea challenges stereotypes prevalent in art institutions about what constitutes Aboriginal art practice.
The series was made by Glebe artist Rea.
Rea has employed a new imaging technology in the production of this series. This has allowed her to combine, through computer generated prints, historic portraits with images of electrical appliances overlaid with a text. Through this procedure she is gives complex ideas a strong and contemporary visual impact.
The series was produced in 1992.
Source
Credit Line
Purchased 1994Acquisition Date
8 March 1994Cite this Object
Harvard
Photographic series 'Look who's calling the kettle black' 2022, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 8 June 2023, <https://ma.as/141721>Wikipedia
{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/141721 |title=Photographic series 'Look who's calling the kettle black' |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=8 June 2023 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}We want to hear from you
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