Tony Albert is a conceptual based artist who focuses his work around helping communities in remote and regional areas to create a brighter and beneficial life and experience for himself and the people within those communities. His main project involved working with Aboriginal children by giving them the option of what they wanted to achieve and do within his project. The children surround their ideas around becoming one with their favourite characters or superheros. Even though they can’t get these super powers, they can still use their imagination to interpret what superpower they would like to have. This could be by helping others within the community or even outside a community.
Albert wanted to connect and have a relationship with the community. But in saying that he still felt like an outsider viewing in on the people. Albert felt more like a visitor than anything else; he was there to involve himself within the community but also getting his project done. To this day Albert sends money off to these communities whenever his work has been sold, they all get the same amount as he gets which is so lovely, there is not many artists or photographers who involve their subjects afterwards.
Tony Albert - Warakurna – Superheroes
The outcome of the project was to show the political, social, living and health issues these are the main key factors within the community that need to be spoken to and helped. He shows this to the outer audience who might not be aware of what’s going on within remote or regional communities. It’s challenging and confronting Albert said but in the final outcome he has a positive approach to make his work more rewarding by presenting them positively to the audience.
From personal experiences as an aboriginal women my dad being aboriginal and my mum a white Australian women just like Albert I can relate to this is some ways. With not completely knowing where my group originates from, or its true history, I’m aboriginal and I’m proud to be. During school both primary and high school i was always looked upon, due to the fact of getting what they called “special treatment”, this is how others viewed it. At the time I did care about what people thought of me and how they viewed me as a person, but now I couldn’t care less as long as I’m happy within myself, it shouldn’t matter what others think of you even if your not Aboriginal, or what your religion is gender etc.
Albert truly opened my eyes on the possible opportunities explored when working within communities.
https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/artists/albert-tony/
