Destiny Deacon's Legacy: Transforming Aboriginal Kitsch into High Art
Destiny Deacon, who passed away at the age of 68 last month, transformed Aboriginal art over a span of thirty years by reinterpreting 'Koori kitsch' from the 1950s and 60s. Her art addressed issues of race and gender, often infused with humor. She introduced the term 'blak' to characterize urban Aboriginal identities. Notable exhibitions include her 2004 show 'Walk & Don't Look Blak' at MCA Sydney and her last commission, 'Blak Bay,' for the 2024 Biennale of Sydney. Raised in Port Melbourne and Fitzroy, she pursued political science at the University of Melbourne. Deacon, alongside her partner Virginia Fraser, created the 1997 piece 'Me and Virginia's doll (Me and Carol).' Influenced by her activist mother, Eleanor Harding, her work received global recognition for its insightful critique of daily life.
Key facts
- Destiny Deacon died last month at age 68
- She worked for three decades as an urban Indigenous Australian contemporary artist
- She repurposed racist ephemera called 'Koori kitsch' or Aboriginalia
- She originated the term 'blak' to describe urban Aboriginal identities
- Her 2004 exhibition 'Walk & Don't Look Blak' was held at MCA Sydney
- Her final major commission was 'Blak Bay' for the 2024 Biennale of Sydney
- She studied political science at the University of Melbourne
- She was raised in Port Melbourne and Fitzroy, Melbourne
Entities
Artists
- Destiny Deacon
- Virginia Fraser
- Frida Kahlo
- Ellen van Neerven
- Daniel Browning
- Michael Riley
- Erin Hefferon
Institutions
- University of Melbourne
- MCA Sydney
- Biennale of Sydney
- artreview.com
- National Gallery Victoria
- Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery
- Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art
- ArtReview
- Artlink
- Asia Pacific Triennial
Locations
- Australia
- Melbourne
- Port Melbourne
- Fitzroy
- Brunswick
- Sydney
- Queensland