Surfers, artist, and proud Indigenous man, Billy Bain, likes to take conventional narratives around masculinity, mash them up with clay and then remould them in a form, which gives primacy to Indigenous Australians.
Bain’s latest exhibition, ‘Manly’ plays heavily on the origins of the name of the Sydney Suburb, which is buttressed by the harbour on one side and the rolling Pacific on the other.
“When Captain Arthur Phillip encountered the Gayemagal people in 1788 he was so impressed by their ‘confidence and manly behavior’ that he named the area Manly Cove,” explains Billy.
Over time Anglo-Saxon culture became entrenched in the area, the Indigenous population was pushed out, and modern ‘Manly’ became synonymous with surf live savers, wave riders and footballers.
However, Billy’s quirky creations seek to hijack the narrative back by supplanting Indigenous Australians into the uniforms and settings of these colonial icons. The end result is to make us question popular notions of masculinity, while implying the continued presence of the traditional custodians of this land.
“Being Manly seeks to unsettle colonial narratives of masculinity by playfully deconstructing popular iconography and histories related to Manly’s cultural identity,” explains Billy.
If you are in Sydney check out Being Manly at Manly Art Gallery & Museum (25 March – 19 June 2022).Otherwise follow more of Billy’s work @billy_bain
