Tony Albert, 2014 Telstra Indigenous Art Award Winner

Tony Albert is one of Australia’s most dynamic contemporary artists.

His art has been described as a tapestry of ideas that offers complex interrogations into the human condition. He weaves together text appropriated from popular music, film, fiction, and art history, and he also utilises an immense collection of kitsch “Aboriginalia” as he calls it – such as black velvet pictures and ashtrays and other ceramics depicting Aboriginal stereotypes.

Using this material in humorous and satirical ways, and drawing upon personal and collective histories, Albert questions how we understand and imagine difference.

His works regularly feature in major public institution and commercial exhibitions around the country, and in 2014 he was awarded the Basil Sellers Art Prize ($100K) for an installation work, and the National Indigenous and Torres Strait Island Art Award ($50K) for his photographic work, We Can Be Heroes.

In 2014 Albert participated in the acclaimed 2014 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art: Dark Heart. His work was also featured in The Weight Of History at the Singapore Art Museum (2013) and Vivid Memories: An Aboriginal Art History at the Musée d’Aquitaine, Bourdeaux, France (2103). In 2013 Albert was commissioned to create the Hyde Park War Memorial, Sydney, which will be installed by Anzac Day 2015 to commemorate indigenous soldiers.

Listen to Jane’s interviews with Tony covering his practice, including the Telstra Award winning series, and the Indigenous War Memorial Commission.

Interview I

Interview II

Interview III

Tony Albert, We Can Be Heroes, 2013-2014

Program blog: https://eastsidefm.org/arts-monday-26-august-2013/