Transforming Tindale: Digital stories

Two digital stories focus on the relationship the artist, Vernon Ah Kee, has to the Tindale Collection, and his artistic responses.

The final video is a panel discussion from the exhibition opening.

Vernon Ah Kee talks to Daniel Browning about his art, his family and his ideas about being labelled an Aboriginal Artist.

"Vernon" follows Brisbane Indigenous artist Vernon Ah Kee and his development in becoming one of Australia's most influential and political aboriginal artists. Ah Kee explores issues of political injustices and represents these in new and retextualised art forms. This documentary follows Vernon as he draws one of his large scale charcoal portrait drawings.

Explore the history and legacy of Norman Tindale’s anthropological expedition to study Aboriginal Australians in Queensland and Northern NSW communities, and the importance that this collection of records has for family and descendants. Collected under exploitative conditions, years later these records are both a source of contention surrounding the treatment of Aboriginal Australians and a valuable resource for relatives.

Complementing this panel discussion, Vernon Ah Kee will talk on his desire to imbue the Tindale images of his family with new meaning by producing beautiful portraits that capture the unique personalities behind the scientific photographs.

25 October 2012