by Christian Thompson
The Oyster fisherman
by Fiona Foley
2011
While looking at Fiona's series of photographs I could see that there was a strong metaphoric meaning to her photographs. I couldn't understand what exactly she was trying to convey when I first viewed these images, but it wasn't until I had watched a videoclip of herself and she had given me a better understanding on what she was trying to convey.
Form
Fiona has the use of these elements in her images nature, water and a aboriginal lady who's face we can't see is used in a sequence of powerful photographs. She gives us a perception of a brutal violence that was provoked on the indigenous people of Australia during colonisation.
The blue dress up against the sepia tone background gave me the impression of an aboriginal woman having to wear or cover up her identity while colonisation was taking over her world.
The shell used in the first image tells the story that there was slave labour during the time of colonisation. European settlers were in the business of working the aboriginal people to gather shell for pearl to make jewellery.
Content
I can't remember the exact sequence of her images but looking at her pictures made me very angry as a indigenous Maori woman of my country. This brings it all back to me on how my fore fathers/mothers were treated during colonisation. The black and white sepia tone allows us to see that it is from a historical point of view from the artist. The boldness of the blue missionary dress enables us to see that she is the main subject in the picture.
Context
The pearling industry and the Beach De Murr were the main two fishing industries of Queensland. Fiona has given me an understanding of what happened in these places of Queensland and also what occurred to the indigenous people of Queensland. I have come to believe that during the time of colonisation, aborigines were being kidnapped for slavery of the pearling industry and oyster fishing.
The Oyster fisherman
by Fiona Foley
2011
While looking at Fiona's series of photographs I could see that there was a strong metaphoric meaning to her photographs. I couldn't understand what exactly she was trying to convey when I first viewed these images, but it wasn't until I had watched a videoclip of herself and she had given me a better understanding on what she was trying to convey.
Form
Fiona has the use of these elements in her images nature, water and a aboriginal lady who's face we can't see is used in a sequence of powerful photographs. She gives us a perception of a brutal violence that was provoked on the indigenous people of Australia during colonisation.
The blue dress up against the sepia tone background gave me the impression of an aboriginal woman having to wear or cover up her identity while colonisation was taking over her world.
The shell used in the first image tells the story that there was slave labour during the time of colonisation. European settlers were in the business of working the aboriginal people to gather shell for pearl to make jewellery.
Content
I can't remember the exact sequence of her images but looking at her pictures made me very angry as a indigenous Maori woman of my country. This brings it all back to me on how my fore fathers/mothers were treated during colonisation. The black and white sepia tone allows us to see that it is from a historical point of view from the artist. The boldness of the blue missionary dress enables us to see that she is the main subject in the picture.
Context
The pearling industry and the Beach De Murr were the main two fishing industries of Queensland. Fiona has given me an understanding of what happened in these places of Queensland and also what occurred to the indigenous people of Queensland. I have come to believe that during the time of colonisation, aborigines were being kidnapped for slavery of the pearling industry and oyster fishing.
