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Archie Moore's Truth: A Dark, Chalky History
1 Dec
Summary
- Artist Archie Moore's kith and kin won the Golden Lion at Venice.
- Artwork uses chalk and blackboard to reference erased Indigenous history.
- Installation confronts ongoing deaths in custody and kinship responsibilities.
Australian artist Archie Moore's acclaimed work, kith and kin, which captivated audiences and secured a Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale, is now accessible on Australian soil at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane. This monumental artwork, meticulously curated by Ellie Buttrose, uses a striking combination of chalk, blackboards, and a memorial pool to explore Australia's complex history.
The immersive installation confronts the violent milestones of colonization and the enduring strength of Indigenous peoples, contrasting 65,000 years of ancestry with contemporary issues like deaths in custody. Moore's choice of chalk and blackboard is a deliberate reference to an educational system that historically omitted Indigenous perspectives, highlighting how erasure itself becomes part of history.
Visitors are invited into a darkened space to allow their eyes to adjust, revealing coronial reports suspended over a reflective pool, surrounded by countless names chalked onto blackboard walls. This profound work serves as a shrine for contemplation, urging viewers to consider their kinship responsibilities and the interconnectedness of all life, from human ancestors to the natural world.
