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Little King Johnny removed

By Helena Webb

14 July 2006 -A sculpture by Western Australian Aboriginal artist, Brian McKinnon, who is now based in Victoria, has been deemed inappropriate by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in Victoria, because it's text is too political?

The Indigenous art exhibition, launched last week as part of NAIDOC week, is currently being held at the Victorian Parliament House without Mr McKinnon's sculpture, titled, "Little King Johnny."

Mr McKinnon describes his work as a, "Wooden sculpture that's got two king plates or brass breast plates, that were given to Aboriginal people who were suppressed yet compliant with European settlers. One of them says, if you even begin to love my people, whom you've hurt so very deeply, maybe it's time to say sorry. The other one says, Little King Johnny of the How How How Liberals Awarded by Aboriginal Australia."

Speaker Judy Maddigan says she made the decision to remove the painting because it was overtly political, and parliamentary policy dictates overtly political material cannot be exhibited.

Ms Maddigan has rejected the artist's criticism that the painting's removal is an attack on free speech, saying the Parliament is not a public gallery.

"If he had hired himself a public gallery and the public gallery people had come out and said we're going to remove this painting because we don't like it, I think he would be right," she said.
"But to be able to hold artworks in Parliament is a privilege and you have to follow the rules of Parliament."

McKinnon believes, "The speaker of the house is very ignorant because she hasn't taken the time to look at all the works. There's a lot of text in other works that are certainly provocative."

McKinnon explains, "I was notified three hours before my work was actually taken down. The exhibitions curator rang me to explain what had happened...I was devastated and didn't think it was that bad."
McKinnon thinks his biography may have had an influence on the decision to remove his work.

He says, "The catalogue has strangely gone missing too. It speaks about my life, being brought up in the fringe camp near Geraldton in Western Australia. It talks about the Aboriginal voice being removed by the demise of ATSIC and assimilation."

According to Mr McKinnon, "The message the Victorian Government is sending is your welcome but keep your mouth shut. I'm still really numb and distressed that my work was hanging in Queens Hall of Parliament House and three hours before I go to see it, it's ordered to be removed."

Source: The ABC WA

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• Art too political for politicians

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