Australia has achieved a historic victory at the Venice Biennale, often described as the art world's equivalent of the Olympics. This prestigious international art event, which is the oldest of its kind, saw First Nations artist Archie Moore receive the Golden Lion for the best national pavilion. This is the first time an Australian has been honored with this prestigious award.
Archie Moore, a 54-year-old artist of Kamilaroi and Bigambul descent who resides in Brisbane, garnered acclaim for his expansive hand-drawn installation titled "kith and kin." Over recent months, Moore has reimagined the conventional white cube space of the Australian pavilion into an extensive, hand-illustrated family tree using blackboard paint and chalk.
The installation's central feature is a detailed family tree that traces both the real and imagined lineage of Moore's ancestors, spanning the 65,000 years of Aboriginal existence in Australia. The jury at the Biennale lauded Moore's installation as "quietly powerful," praising its aesthetic strength, lyrical quality, and its evocative portrayal of collective loss, while also recognizing its potential to foster healing and reconciliation.
The term "kith and kin" references old English words for family and community, and the installation expands on Aboriginal kinship structures to encompass global humanity.
Commissioned by Creative Australia, the work has been praised by its senior Indigenous representative as a groundbreaking achievement. Franchesca Cubillo, the executive director of First Nations Arts and Culture, described "kith and kin" as a profound historical painting that asserts Indigenous sovereignty and celebrates the resilience and significance of First Nations knowledge and familial systems.
Moore's work occupies the entire pavilion, including the walls and ceiling, and features a floor installation consisting of a shallow reflecting pool and an altar-like platform, designed in collaboration with Meriam Mir and Kaurareg architect Kevin O'Brien. Above the pool, a platform on stilts hosts columns of white paper arranged in a mosaic-like pattern from above, detailing de-identified coronial reports of over 560 First Nations individuals who have died in custody since the pivotal Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
The artwork poignantly reflects on the high incarceration rates of Indigenous people despite numerous recommended reforms. It includes documents related to the incarceration of Moore's relatives, adding a personal dimension to the broader narrative. The installation has been profoundly impactful to visitors, as evidenced during the vernissage.
Australia’s Arts Minister, Tony Burke, has also acknowledged the installation's significance, noting that "kith and kin" exemplifies the power of Australian art and storytelling, helping to foster a deeper understanding among Australians and introducing Australian narratives to a global audience.
Following its display at the Biennale, the installation is set to be restaged at QAGOMA in Brisbane after the event concludes in November.