Requiem Of Grandeur Empire Visual Techniques

‘Triptych: Requiem, Of Grandeur, Empire’ by the contemporary artist, Gordon Bennett in 1989 is a series of three artworks that depict the Australian landscape through stylised means in combination with appropriated and geometrical imagery. Through this series, Bennett effectively showcases the impact Western European culture had upon Indigenous lives and cultures post colonisation and how it has led to the destruction of Aboriginal culture as a whole. This is portrayed through the excellent utilisation of appropriated imagery, diverse art styles, and visual metaphors within his work.

Within each composition of the three individual pieces, there is at least one example of appropriated imagery that is manipulated so as to further convey Bennett’s

purpose. Within the central piece, there is an image of a woman kneeling and washing a wall, which is an image of the artist’s mother. Bennett’s mother underwent early training and work as a domestic servant, and as such the placement of her within the composition may be representative of the similar circumstances that Indigenous women were in throughout their lives (McLean 1996, 15). This is further conveyed by the appropriated arms lifted high on either side of a geometrical one point perspective hallway, where the combination of these shapes alludes to the crucifixion of Christ. Thus, the combination of the Indigenous women and this specific imagery may express the ‘servitude’ and worship that Indigenous people were forced into with the Christian Religion. Therefore, this utilisation of appropriated and religious imagery successfully highlights the negative impact that European religious and culture had upon Indigenous lives.
Throughout the series, ‘Triptych: Requiem, Of Grandeur, Empire’, Bennett utilises contrast so as to further convey the conflict between cultures post-colonisation.

Observation of the first piece in the series showcases the warm Australian desert tones contrasted against a cool blue night sky. This creates a different tone compared to the other pieces, which is enhanced with the inclusion of Truganini’s image in the sky, who is often historically known as ‘The last surviving Tasmanian Aborigine’ (Krischer 2012, 123). Therefore, the addition of her faded image in within the composition constructs an evocative feeling of loss, portraying the destructive impact of colonisation in Indigenous culture. Similarly, the geometric lines and perspective shapes contrast with the other painted styles of the artwork, and with Truganini being at the central vanishing point, it furthers that sense of loss. Thus, through the design principle of contrast, Bennett effectively conveys the historical and cultural impacts that colonisation had on Indigenous people across Australia and the concern over his personal

heritage.
Through these three artworks, there are multiple art techniques and forms manipulated so that Bennett could effectively portray his message and ingrain it in the mind of viewers.

Through the three pieces, the landscapes reflect a painting style is more often associated with European Romantic art, however, unlike the others, the central piece showcases the sky painted with miniscule dots, a technique common within Indigenous art (Lingard 2014, 44). However, the fact that the sky is the only piece of the composition painted with this technique and is placed in the background while more European inspired art and images are placed in the foreground is potentially symbolic of the marginalisation of Indigenous people and their culture in contemporary Australian society. Within Bennett’s own life, he was brought up without his Aboriginal heritage ever being spoken of, describing it himself as “overwhelming Euro-Australian” (McLean 1996, 20). Thus, within his artworks, a dotted circle at the top of each composition includes black footprints facing away from the circle, which matches his personal experience of Indigenous culture being ‘left behind’ in contemporary Australian society. The artist lived in a time where he was connected to a variety of Indigenous experiences including his own as well as the servitude of his mother, and thus through the combination of these varying art techniques, Bennett evokes both discord and further represents the marginalisation of Indigenous culture

across Australia.
Gordon Bennet’s artwork series, ‘‘Triptych: Requiem, Of Grandeur, Empire’ (1989) effectively portrays the cultural impact that colonisation and Western European culture had on Indigenous people across Australia. By utilising his own life and family experiences as an Aboriginal man he conveys an authentic representation of these negative effects. Thus, through the clever utilisation of appropriated photography, religious symbolism, and painting techniques, Bennett successfully brings forth awareness towards his slowly disappearing culture.