Visual Culture - Australian Portrait Gallery Assignment 3

Whit it means to be Australian? 

I believe to be Australian means that we are proud of our country and we embrace of multiculturalism and one another, with a vast array of people and cultures, Australia's diversity becomes very important to its citizens. So when someone ask what does it mean to be Australian? I would simply answer being proud of our land and proud of the people who live on it.

What does Australia Day celebrate?

Australia Day celebrates on the 26th of January every year, when  Captain Arthur Phillip and the first Governor of NSW arrived at Sydney Cove, known as Landing Day.

Reference

http://www.australiaday.org.au/experience/page76.asp#Beginnings

Lee Kernangen Portrait - Ian Potter Gallery

At the portrait gallery I cam across a very eye catching portrait of Lee Kernagen by Ian Jennings 2006. Some formal elements of this portrait that contributed to individuality where the sunglasses worn by Lee, his Akubra and also him holding his guitar. These accessories indicate that he is a country musician. The element of the portrait that I found was particularly 'Australian' was the background in the photograph of the Australian desert outback.

Molly Meldrum - Ian Potter Gallery

Another portrait I came across at the gallery was that of Molly Meldrum by Robin Sellick. The elements of this portrait that contribute to the subject's sense of individuality would be the character lines in Molly's face and the hat that he wears, that has almost become a signature item for Molly Meldrum. In this portrait I could not really see any elements that were particularly 'Australian'.

National Australian Archives - Inquiry Records Photograph Album

At the Australian Archive I found a photo album that contained images of Aboriginal Australians. This album depicted the status and conditions of these people. The aspect of Australian culture that was being presented were the Indigenous people and the way in which there was a concern for these people.

National Australian Archives - Photograph Album 1919

I found another photograph album that depicted Vocational training classes for returned WW1 soldiers. The aspect of Australian culture that is represented in this album were the Australian soldiers who fought at were. It is iconic in the sense that Australians carried out their lives even after such a horrific event as the war.