Title
Headhunter
2007
Artist
Tony Albert
Australia
1981 –
Language groups: Girramay, East Cape region, Kuku Yalanji, East Cape region, Yidindji, Rainforest region
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Details
- Place where the work was made
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Brisbane
→
Queensland
→
Australia
- Date
- 2007
- Media categories
- Installation , Ephemera , Painting
- Materials used
- synthetic polymer paint and vintage Aboriginal ephemera
- Dimensions
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110.0 x 370.0 cm
:
a - portrait of child [ceramic plate], 10 x 10.2 x 1.5 cm
b - profile of elder [wooden coaster] [1], 8.5 x 8.4 x 1.3 cm
c - painted face mask [plastic], 36.4 x 21.4 x 10.2 cm
d - man throwing spear [framed drawing on wood] [1], 17.8 x 15 x 2.9 cm
e - clothed plastic doll, 8.1 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm
f - male profile [ceramic, painted black], 26.4 x 12 x 0.5 cm
g - girl with orange hat [painted plaster], 8.4 x 13 x 2 cm
h - portrait of male [ceramic plate with gold rim], 25.9 x 25.9 x 3 cm
i - profile of elder surrounded by aboriginal imagery [printed on wood] [1], 9.6 x 9.3 x 0.3 cm
j - portrait of girl [painted on wooden plate], 15 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm
k - male profile [ceramic, painted brown], 26.4 x 12 x 0.5 cm
l - male profile with red dotted head band [painted ceramic], 17.5 x 13 x 4.5 cm
m - profile of elder [wooden coaster] [2], 8.4 x 8.5 x 1.1 cm
n - full length male with spear and shield [paint on ceramic plate], 10.1 x 10.1 x 1.6 cm
o - male making fire & child with goanna [printed on wood], 9.6 x 9.4 x 0.7 cm
p - orange and black portrait of girl [reproduction of painting mounted on hardboard], 26 x 19.8 x 1.5 cm
q - plastic doll with traditional dress [1], 15 x 14 x 10 cm, This doll is dressed to represent a woman from Papua New Guinea. It is circa 1970s in date [advice from Natalie Wilson to Helen Campbell, 3 Nov 2016].
r - profile of boy [pastel on cardboard], 25.2 x 19.1 x 0.3 cm
s - male elder profile [bronze bust], 27.5 x 24.5 x 4.5 cm
t - woman painting [printed on wood], 9.6 x 9.4 x 0.3 cm
u - sitting male profile with possum [printed on cork], 14.7 x 14.5 x 0.7 cm
v - 'Piccaninnies' [group of children painted on circular tile], 15.3 x 15.3 x 0.7 cm
w - portrait of girl [ceramic plate], 10.3 x 10.3 x 1.9 cm
x - portrait of man [ceramic plate], 10.1 x 10.1 x 1.6 cm
y - profile of elder surrounded by aboriginal imagery [printed on wood] [2], 9.6 x 9.4 x 0.4 cm
z - profile of man no. 1 [bronze bust on wood], 21.4 x 14.5 x 4.3 cm
aa - b/w photo of male elder on ceramic plate, 26.7 x 26.7 x 2.9 cm
bb - portrait of girl [painted on shallow wooden bowl], 12.7 x 12.7 x 2.6 cm
cc - full length standing female in desert [painted on wooded plate], 20.5 x 21 x 4.2 cm
dd - male bust [painted on wood], 29.7 x 17.4 x 2.1 cm
ee - male elders head with red headband [painted plaster], 13.5 x 8.3 x 3.3 cm
ff - profile of boy head [ceramic, painted black], 15 x 10.3 x 1 cm
gg - two children body painting [reproduction of watercolour, framed], 22.9 x 18.6 x 2 cm
hh - male elders head [plaster, painted brown], 18.6 x 18.8 x 6.5 cm
ii - 2 profile busts [male & female] with glitter background, 20 x 35.1 x 4 cm
jj - male with two spears [printed on wood], 18 x 18 x 0.6 cm
kk - seated male with spear and shield [printed on wood], 15.1 x 15.2 x 0.5 cm
ll - profile of elder surrounded by aboriginal imagery [printed on wood] [2], 9.8 x 9.7 x 0.3 cm
mm - two figures in landscape [printed on wood] [1], 9.7 x 9.6 x 0.5 cm
nn - profile of girl [reproduction of watercolour, framed], 19.6 x 16.9 x 1.7 cm
oo - 6 figures [painted on ceramic boomerang shaped plate], 10.5 x 24 x 2.3 cm
pp - male profile [ceramic, painted black], 25.7 x 14.7 x 4.2 cm
qq - frontal male head [plaster, painted brown], 18.2 x 12.7 x 4 cm
rr - profile of boy [plaster, painted brown], 15.5 x 10.5 x 1 cm
ss - male head [painted plaster], 12.6 x 8 x 3 cm
tt - portrait of man 2 [ceramic plate], 10.5 x 10.4 x 1.8 cm
uu - portrait of man with headband [ceramic plate], 10.4 x 10.4 x 1.8 cm
vv - Greetings from Tood Yay [two figures making items, painted ceramic plate], 10.3 x 10.3 x 1.7 cm
ww - profile of elder [wooden coaster] [3], 8.4 x 8.5 x 1 cm
xx - profile of elder [wooden coaster] [4], 8.4 x 8.5 x 1.1 cm
yy - profile of elder [wooden coaster] [5], 8.5 x 8.5 x 1 cm
zz - 'Alligator' dance [group of men spearing, painted on circular ceramic tile], 15.2 x 15.2 x 0.5 cm
aaa - seated male with spear [painted rectangular bowl], 22 x 10.4 x 3.1 cm
bbb - profile of elder surrounded by aboriginal imagery [printed on wood] [3], 9.6 x 9.6 x 0.3 cm
ccc - two figures in landscape [printed on wood] [2], 9.6 x 9.5 x 0.3 cm
ddd - colour photo of male elder on ceramic plate, 20.5 x 20.7 x 3 cm
eee - seated man with boomerang [painted tile with metal frame], 16 x 15.8 x 2 cm
fff - profile of female [ceramic, painted black], 16.2 x 19.5 x 5.8 cm
ggg - man throwing spear [framed drawing on wood] [2], 17.4 x 14.8 x 3 cm
hhh - man spearing [painted circular tile, framed], 20 x 20.1 x 2.1 cm
iii - full length man with spear and boomerang [copper cast], 15.6 x 8 x 1.5 cm
jjj - 'Winton' doll, 20.6 x 8 x 5.4 cm
kkk - profile of purple girl [watercolour on wood, framed], 15.3 x 10.2 x 3 cm
lll - two male elders on cardboard coaster [printed], 9.7 x 6.9 x 0.2 cm
mmm - plastic doll with traditional dress [2], 36 x 16.8 x 16.5 cm, This doll is dressed to represent a woman from Papua New Guinea. It is circa 1970s in date [advice from Natalie Wilson to Helen Campbell, 3 Nov 2016].
nnn - profile of man [pastel on cardboard], 25.3 x 19.3 x 0.3 cm
ooo - portrait of man 2 [ceramic plate] [2], 10 x 10.1 x 1.6 cm
ppp - portrait of girl [ceramic plate] [2], 10.2 x 10.2 x 1.8 cm
qqq - child with blossoms in hand [ceramic plate], 10.3 x 10.3 x 1.8 cm
rrr - male head with large red lips and headband [ceramic, painted], 11.8 x 7.8 x 4 cm
sss - 'The sitter' [seated male painted on wood], 30 x 7.8 x 2.2 cm
ttt - profile of man no. 2 [bronze bust on wood], 21.5 x 14.5 x 4 cm
vvv - smiling elder [painted wooden bowl], 15 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm
www - male head with plastic green eyes [plaster, painted black], 22.5 x 12.9 x 7.5 cm
xxx - female head with white eyes [plaster, painted brown & white], 18 x 16.3 x 5.2 cm
yyy - baby in cot [painted plaster], 13.5 x 9 x 3.5 cm
zzz - smiling boy [reproduction of pastel drawing, framed], 16.5 x 12 x 1.3 cm
aaaa - male head [painted plaster], 13.1 x 8.8 x 3.6 cm
bbbb - male head with white headband [painted plaster], 13.2 x 8.3 x 3 cm
cccc - portrait of man [ceramic plate] [2], 10.3 x 10.3 x 1.7 cm
dddd - male head [painted tile, framed], 17.2 x 17.1 x 1.8 cm
eeee - profile of elder [wooden coaster] [6], 8.4 x 8.5 x 0.9 cm
ffff - 'Wyanga' [mother and child & man with crab, painted on circular tile], 15.3 x 15.3 x 0.7 cm
gggg - male portait [painted ceramic plate, gold rim], 26.2 x 26.2 x 3.2 cm
hhhh - female bust with red lips [painted plaster], 18.9 x 12.7 x 3.4 cm
iiii - little tarzan, 9 x 5.5 x 3.3 cm
jjjj - male head [black metalic glaze, plaster], 9.5 x 7 x 3 cm
kkkk - frontal female head [plaster, painted brown], 16.5 x 13.6 x 3.6 cm
llll - alien head with blue eyes [plaster], 16 x 11 x 6.7 cm
- Credit
- Purchased with funds provided by the Aboriginal Art Collection Benefactors 2007
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 351.2007.a-llll
- Copyright
- © Tony Albert
- Artist information
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Tony Albert
Works in the collection
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About
Tony Albert contrasts the strength and dignity implied by the word ‘hunter’ with a debased view of Aboriginal people and culture as represented by the kitsch tourist souvenir-ware featuring ‘portrait’ heads.
Albert collected similar material as a boy and uses its familiarity to many Australians as a means of engaging serious thinking on racist discrimination against Aboriginal people. In this context, the word ‘hunter’ implies the Aboriginal hunter of pre-settlement Australia, the hunter of Aboriginal people on the colonial frontier and the artist himself as a collector of these wares. The white plastic ‘alien’ head on the letter ‘H’ is Albert’s signature reference – intended as a symbol of cultural alienation and displacement by Aboriginal people within Australian society.
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Places
Where the work was made
Brisbane
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Video
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Exhibition history
Shown in 3 exhibitions
Art of parts: collage and assemblage from the collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 17 Sep 2016–13 Nov 2016
Tony Albert - Visible, Queensland Art Gallery, South Brisbane, 02 Jun 2018–07 Oct 2018
20th-Century galleries, lower level 1 (rehang), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 20 Aug 2022–2023
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Bibliography
Referenced in 1 publication
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Helen Campbell, Look, 'Stuck on you', pg. 16-19, Sydney, Sep 2016, 16, 18.
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