Exhibition
One Land, Two Worlds
DEBRA O'REGAN
Many people would describe my paintings as “aboriginal art”, but I personally think that view is too simplistic. While my artwork clearly reflects my indigenous heritage, it is also influenced by my “whiter” side. Many of my paintings attempt to depict the Australian bush and all of the creatures that inhabit it, in a way that acknowledges and celebrates indigenous culture and values. Other works seek to examine and depict the imbalance and tension between black and white Australia, while some address non-racial, universal themes of nature, life and death. Much of my art is symbolic interpretation of what I feel, rather than a faithful depiction of what I see.