Photographic series 'A Warrior without a Weapon' 2018 aims to break negative stereotypical representations of Australian Indigenous men in the public domain by affirming that that they too can be sensitive and caring.¹ Naomi Hobson has witnessed the harm that these representations can cause in communities and has worked with members of the Lockhart River men's group to produce the series.

In a defiant gesture against on-field racism 25 years ago, Noongar AFL player Nicky Winmar lifted his jersey, pointed to his bare torso and said 'I'm black and proud to be black'. That protest remains 'an arresting statement of race, discrimination, dignity and defiance', so much so that the iconic stance has been immortalised in bronze.² In the intimate intergenerational studio portraits of eleven Kaantju and Umpila boys, men and elders, they too pose shirtless, connecting with Winmar's stand. Inviting the sitters to her home, it was important for Hobson to first engage in conversation with the men about their representation.

This important step of consultation and self-determination for the men, one that Hobson has witnessed as absent in the majority of media portrayals and historic records of Aboriginal men, is the defining feature of the series. The trust and care that was taken during this process is written on the stern, inquisitive and, at times, vulnerable faces, many of whom maintain eye contact with the lens or are turned to gaze in contemplation. Hobson reflects: 

Each photograph required a discussion about the concept and the narrative: of being portrayed to demonstrate a loving side of indigenous men. Being a member of the Coen community, and being known as an artist at home, whenever I develop a body of work, there is always an enthusiasm from people to be involved. There is a human trust in my messaging and our people have pride in themselves and what they stand for.³

Hobson's relationships with the subjects are subtlety hinted to as well; she states 'the photo positions I have chosen reflect my relationship with the subject along kinship lines'.⁴ Each on a field of black or white, the men and their adornments glow. Flowers local to the Coen area are carefully positioned in the men's facial hair, and on top of the heads of the young boys, signalling prosperity, life and beauty. While these floral arrangements show a nurturing side, they are also a clear reference of cultural identity. Adorning a beard with flowers is an acknowledgement of a 'cult hero', who is known among the locals of Coen, amplifying the narrative of a warrior without a weapon.

Political, social and community engagement is a longstanding aspect of Hobson's practice which she views as a continuation of her family tradition. As quoted from a biography of the artist:

The landscape of Coen is imbued with a marked political history. Since European settlement Aboriginal people have maintained a connection to their country through working on pastoral properties. Hobson's grandfather was employed as a stockman for a European family, while other local indigenous people worked as farmhands (cooking, cleaning, gardening, babysitters) for no financial reward. Further, Hobson's family have been active in indigenous land rights and reform movements in the effort to return traditional lands and on social and economic reforms to her Cape York community of Coen.⁵

While Winmar's statement was a reactionary protest and Hobson's portraits don't share the same impulsive defiant energy, they share a similar narrative — of publicly questioning prejudice, correcting the misleading portrayals of Indigenous people, particularly men, in Australian society and demonstrating pride in culture.

Endnotes

1. Naomi Hobson, 'Artist statement', emailed to Curator, Indigenous Australian Art, 16 August 2018.
2. J Horn, "'Black and proud': remembering the day Nicky Winmar changed footy forever", The Guardian, 17 April 2018, viewed 20 October 2018.
3. Naomi Hobson, email correspondence with Assistant Curator, Indigenous Australian Art, 5 February 2019.
4. Hobson, email correspondence.
5. Naomi Hobson, 'Biography', emailed to Curator, Indigenous Australian Art, 16 August 2018.