‘Welcome to Colour Television’
Aug 2020 -
Apr 2021
![Vernon Ah Kee / Kuku Yalanji/Waanyi/Yidinyji/Guugu Yimithirr people / Australia QLD b.1967 / Tall Man (still) (detail) 2010 / Purchased 2012. Queensland Art Gallery / © Vernon Ah Kee](/index.php/system/files/styles/wide/private/2024-01/2012.352_022_videostill%20%281%29.jpg?itok=0RbER9jO)
‘Welcome to Colour Television’ celebrates a powerful selection of Indigenous Australian video art featuring works by Richard Bell, Destiny Deacon, Vernon Ah Kee, Christian Thompson, Genevieve Grieves and Douglas Watkin.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists have engaged with screen culture for over 50 years as a way to connect audiences with Indigenous issues and address mis/representation within the medium and society more broadly.
The exhibition title is drawn from the opening scene of Basically Black, an Australian Broadcasting Corporation television pilot screened in 1973. Adapted from the stage by the National Black Theatre, Basically Black was the first televised Indigenous sketch comedy show and brought dark satire and comedic critiques on racial prejudice and injustice to mainstream screens. The influence of the show resonates in artistic practices today.
The artists use the power of the screen to communicate across cultures and disrupt the dominant narratives surrounding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Their art is a potent form of activism that advocates for the reclamation of language, power, history and agency, and challenges negative portrayals of Indigenous people through resonant personal, cultural, social and political commentary.
‘Welcome to Colour Television’ was on display from 7 Aug 2020 to 18 Apr 2021 in GOMA’s Gallery 3.1 & Gallery 3.2
Feature image: Vernon Ah Kee / Kuku Yalanji/Waanyi/Yidinyji/Guugu Yimithirr people / Australia QLD b.1967 / Tall Man (still) (detail) 2010 / Purchased 2012. Queensland Art Gallery / © Vernon Ah Kee
Collection artworks featured in ‘Welcome to Colour Television’
![Vernon Ah Kee Artwork Tall Man this artwork made of Four-channel digital video installation from DVD: 11:10 minutes, colour, sound, 4:3, created in 2010-01-01](/index.php/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2012.352_006_still_3.jpg?itok=P9flM_nI)
Tall Man 2010
- AH KEE, Vernon - Creator
![Richard Bell Artwork Embassy this artwork made of Canvas tent with annex, aluminium frame, rope and projection screen; synthetic polymer paint on board, created in 2013-01-01](/index.php/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2014.325.001-005_001_3.jpg?itok=TjfXVH-C)
Embassy 2013
- BELL, Richard - Creator
![Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online](/sites/default/files/styles/large/filesqagoma/assets/image-pending.jpg?itok=SDhxQrcw)
Scratch an Aussie 2008
- BELL, Richard - Artist
- HOWARD, Suzanne - Director
![Richard Bell Artwork Broken English this artwork made of Digital video projection from DVD: 13 minutes, sound, colour, created in 2009-01-01](/index.php/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2014.117_001_still_4.jpg?itok=FWs7TMcS)
Broken English 2009
- BELL, Richard - Artist
- HOWARD, Suzanne - Director
![Richard Bell Artwork The Dinner Party this artwork made of Digital video projection from DVD: 19:13 minutes, colour, sound, created in 2013-01-01](/index.php/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2014.324_002_still_3.jpg?itok=lYnTFIxC)
The Dinner Party 2013
- BELL, Richard - Artist
- HOWARD, Suzanne - Director
![Destiny Deacon & Virginia Fraser/Copyright Agency Artwork Forced into images this artwork made of DVD and Betacam SP formats: 9 minutes, colour, silent, created in 2001-01-01](/index.php/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2004.173_002_still_0.jpg?itok=Nc_SmZ5V)
Forced into images 2001
- DEACON, Destiny - Artist
- FRASER, Virginia - Collaborating artist
![© Destiny Deacon & Virgina Fraser/Copyright Agency Artwork Matinee this artwork made of Digital Betacam and DVD formats: 7:30 minutes, colour, silent, created in 2003-01-01](/index.php/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2024-05/2009.051_still_009.jpg?itok=1qkBEhRp)
Matinee 2003
- DEACON, Destiny - Artist
- FRASER, Virginia - Collaborating artist
![Christian Thompson Artwork Refuge this artwork made of Single-channel video: 4:19 minutes, colour, sound, created in 2015-01-01](/index.php/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2015.107_001_still_0.jpg?itok=9vR3QxUb)
Refuge 2015
- THOMPSON, Christian - Creator
![The artist Artwork The Queen & I this artwork made of HD video, line animation, 16:9, 11:20 minutes, colour, stereo, created in 2011-01-01](/index.php/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2011.233_001_still_4.jpg?itok=B8N2izqs)
The Queen & I 2011
- WATKIN, Douglas - Director/script writer
- THYER, Lucas - Producer
- OLIVE, SM (Shawn) - Artwork