Tony Albert's MCA Call-Out Draws 2,000 Donations of Racist Aboriginalia
More than 2,000 items portraying Aboriginal individuals in caricature form were contributed to Tony Albert's exhibition, Not a Souvenir, at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Sydney. Five months ago, Albert issued a call for Aboriginalia, which led to a total of 4,400 pieces from his collection that began in the 1980s. As the exhibition wraps up on 19 October, the MCA is preparing to send the donations to Albert's studio in Brisbane. The 45-year-old artist expressed his appreciation for the kindness and personal narratives associated with the contributions. Among the notable donors are Carolyn Ienna, 63, who gifted a painted piece, Lesley Pepper, 67, who provided serviettes and plates from New Zealand, and Kathryn Hopps, 46, who donated scarves. No hate mail was received.
Key facts
- Tony Albert's Not a Souvenir exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Sydney received more than 2,000 public donations of Aboriginalia
- Albert made a public call-out for Aboriginalia five months before the exhibition's close
- The exhibition featured 4,400 objects from Albert's own collection, which he began in the 1980s as a child
- The MCA is packaging and shipping the donated items to Albert's studio in Brisbane
- Albert, 45, has family connections to the Girramay, Kuku Yalanji and Yidindji peoples and was in Paris on a month-long artist residency
- Carolyn Ienna, a 63-year-old Wiradjuri artist and activist from Sydney, donated a painted image of an Aboriginal man with a spear
- Lesley Pepper, 67, travelled from Dunedin in New Zealand to donate serviettes, placemats and four porcelain plates
- Assistant curator Antares Wells said one donation contained 120 plates, cups and saucers and another had 200 beer coasters
- The exhibition closes on 19 October, after which donation boxes will be removed, though the MCA will still accept further Aboriginalia
Entities
Artists
- Tony Albert
- Carolyn Ienna
- Lesley Pepper
- Kathryn Hopps
- Antares Wells
- Jessica Hromas
- Bec Lorrimer
- Bill Onus
- Jimmy Pik
Institutions
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- MCA
- The Guardian
- Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA Australia)
Locations
- Sydney
- Australia
- Brisbane
- Paris
- France
- Dunedin
- New Zealand
- Canberra