2020 > Expressive Forms > Collection of Work > Jordan Michael Williams

Jordan Michael Williams

The King's School

I AM

Collection of Work

Photography, sculpture, mixed media

My body of work is about being spiritually strong. I am proud to be a descendant of the oldest continuing culture in the world, Australia's original peoples / First Peoples of this country. Through photography and sculpture I have made a personal journey exploring my identity, learning about my Country, community, family law, sovereign knowledge, custodianship and expectations of my culture. It is my intention to have our culture and history, our place as this continent's First People, embraced and celebrated as a unique feature of this continent's story. To reclaim what we should never have lost or been denied – who I am.

My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Dale Harding, Gordon Bennett, Daniel Boyd.

Marker's Commentary

I Am is a carefully curated collage of photos and objects that investigates the cultural heritage of an Australian First Peoples descendant. This contemporary presentation succinctly recounts ancestry and history and is a commanding self-portrait. Artifacts of a hand tooled spear and didgeridoo and an incised map powerfully reference and symbolize the important connection to land and custom essential for identity and family. The reddish hue of the timber further instills connections to land. The black and white portraits mimic historical documentation of the characteristics and features of tribes. These images foster ideas of familial relationships and connections through time. The visually forceful text draws on the practice of artists Colin McCahon and Gordon Bennett to proudly declare the artist’s heritage. Astute selections of family snapshots imbedded within the text promote the importance of family. This deceptively simple amalgamation of imagery is a highly sophisticated chronicle of a personal and cultural history.

a collection of wooden objects,a tree stump, spear and didgeridoo, surrounded by three portraits and large single letters spelling out I AM BUNDJALUNG.

View in VR
map on circular tree stump, dotted lines and labels scattered.

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wooden didgeridoo.

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black and white portrait of woman, blurred hand pattern in background.

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black and white portrait of young man with glasses, blurred hand pattern in background.

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black and white portrait of man with beard, blurred hand pattern in background.

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black and white photo in the letter form I, young boy playing didgeridoo.

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black and white photo in the letter form A, two young boys on bicycles.

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black and white photo in the letter form M, male figure on roof, cityscape below.

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black and white photo in the letter form B, close-up of hand reaching.

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black and white photo in the letter form U, close-up of woman's face.

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black and white photo in the letter form N, adults standing next to young girl in graduation clothing holding flowers.

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black and white photo in the letter form D, male figure wearing police hat.

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black and white photo in the letter form J, female figure, patterned shadows.

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black and white photo in the letter form A, older man standing behind young boy, both with safety glasses on.

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black and white photo in the letter form L, woman wearing pearl necklace smiling.

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detailed map in the letter form U.

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black and white photo in the letter form N, male figures standing together.

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black and white photo in the letter form G, three children in swimming costumes.

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black and white large family portrait, very faded.

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