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Art too political for politicians

By Corrie Perkin

7 July 2006 - An indigenous artist whose work was removed from an exhibition at Victoria's Parliament House because it was deemed overtly political is yet to receive an official explanation or apology.

Geelong artist Brian McKinnon's sculpture, Little King Johnny of the How How How Liberals Awardeded by Aboriginal Australia, was ordered to be removed by the Speaker of the lower house, Judy Maddigan, on Wednesday. McKinnon said yesterday he was told the sculpture had been locked in an office, but there had been no further communication.

Exhibition organisers and the office of Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Minister, Gavin Jennings, were aware of McKinnon's work and approved its display. The sculpture was to have been included in an exhibition of indigenous art. McKinnon heard of the Speaker's decision three hours before the official opening. "All I was told was that the text was too political and it referred to Prime Minster John Howard," he said. "But it doesn't say John Howard anywhere on the work. "I just went numb when I heard. I didn't think it was too political. When you look at other works in the exhibition there are some which are much more political than mine.

Being NAIDOC Week and the 150th celebration of parliament, it seems a pretty stupid thing to do." At Wednesday's opening, crowds gathered around the blank space where McKinnon's work had stood. It is displayed in the exhibition catalogue: a 1.2m carved and burnt structure with ripple-iron inserts, barbed-wire and two "king" plates, which European settlers used to award to indigenous people. In his opening speech, Mr Jennings apologised to McKinnon for the Speaker's action.

"Given that the Victorian parliament, in a bipartisan way, back in 1997 passed an apology to Aboriginal people and said sorry, I thought it paradoxical that in 2006 a painting that calls on someone else to say sorry has been withdrawn," Mr Jennings said yesterday. Acting Premier John Thwaites supported Judy Maddigan's decision. "It's her role as Speaker," he said. "Presumably she received some complaints from some quarters about that and she's responded to that."

A spokesman for the Speaker's office would not confirm whether complaints had been made, but said there were strict rules that banned artworks with political messages in Queen's Hall. Mr Jennings's office said it would liaise with curators and NAIDOC staff to ensure the sculpture was returned safely.

Source: The Australian

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