Teho Ropeyarns’s powerful artwork, ‘But you don’t look Aboriginal,’ is now on display in ‘Skinship: Collection in Focus,’ at the Cairns Art Gallery until 30 November.
Teho states, “one of many ignorant comments Aboriginal people are faced with because of their physical appearance. The presumption of mainstream Australian society is that Aboriginal people should have dark skin and live remotely to be considered Aboriginal. Our Aboriginality is brought into question purely through appearances, denying any consideration of diversity. This denial is also present within our kin as darker skinned Aboriginal people question the authenticity of those with lighter skin tones.”
Consultant Curator Shonae Hobson, suggests, ‘Skinship’ is an exploration of the body as a vessel for memory, resistance, and transformation. Featuring a selection of diverse works by prominent Far North Queensland-based artists, they engage both the physical and metaphysical dimensions of embodiment, inviting audiences to consider how stories are passed on not only through language, but through movement, rhythm, imagery, and materiality. “Each artwork positions the body as both archive and oracle—a living entity inscribed with ancestral memory, cultural knowledge, and ceremonial power … the body is not just something we inhabit, but something we listen to—a guide toward healing, connection, and a deeper understanding of our relationship to the world around us.”
Image: Louis Lim. Courtesy of the artist and Onespace.
