When Vernon Ah-Kee was born in 1967 in Far North Queensland, he wasn't counted as a citizen. It wasn't until later that year that, following a referendum, the Australian Government came to officially recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Today, Ah-Kee is an internationally celebrated artist with work in collections all over the world — from Canada's National Gallery to Hannover's Sprengel Museum. And, as part of Sydney Festival 2017, he's bringing us a powerful exhibition that confronts issues of race, ideology and politics. Titled Not an animal or a plant, the show marks both Ah-Kee's 50th birthday and the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum. Its combination of oversized drawings, paintings, text-based installations and 3D works investigates colonisation and racism, historically and contemporarily. "NAS Gallery is excited to be working with Vernon to present key works from the artist's powerful and diverse oeuvre," said Judith Blackall, curator at the National Art School Gallery. "It is an opportunity for the public to reflect and engage with important issues in Australian popular culture, particularly the dichotomy between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal societies and cultures."
