Thea Anamara Perkins' solo exhibition at Mackay Artspace questions the nature of representations of First Nations Australians and Country with a series of new and existing works.
Thea Anamara Perkins is an Arrernte and Kalkadoon artist whose practice incorporates portraiture and landscape to question representations of First Nations peoples and Country. Born and raised in Sydney, Perkins has family ties to the Redfern community, Arrernte and Kalkadoon language groups (Alice Springs). Her practice explores the concept of what it means to be First Nations in contemporary Australia.
In September 2024, Perkins undertook a two-week residency on Yuwi Country (Mackay) to produce a new series of work, ‘Dualities’. Continuing her interest of delving into archives as a source material, this new body of work was created from the photographic archive produced by the artist during her residency, which she notes was approached with the intent to explore this new place, landscape and history through the respectful lens of visitor. Perkins is drawn to snapshots that evoke a sense of place or feelings of comfort in what she refers to as ‘the Shimmer’, a reference that appears in several of her Mackay series works.
“The Shimmer is my allusion to the Dreaming. Omnipresent as light, not only a beautiful phenomenon but one that connotes a spiritual potency. Inextricable like the enduring presence of First Nations people and their care for Country indelibly inscribed on the landscape.”
The single portrait created in this new series and acquired into the Mackay Regional Council Art Collection, ‘Dylan Mooney’ speaks to Perkins’ respect of Mackay’s peoples and history. This work depicts Yuwi, Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander artist Dylan Mooney joyfully emerging from the ocean. Perkins remarking, “To me he really embodied shimmer”.
