My creative practice takes place on the lands of the Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri Woiwurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present, their ancestors and families, acknowledging their deep and ongoing spiritual connection to Country. I extend my respects to Wathaurong Waddawurrung peoples, whose lands I was birthed and raised upon that have deeply shaped me and my experiences.

I acknowledge Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri custodianship of the lands, waterways and skies that I continue to live, work and benefit from, recognising that sovereignty was never ceded. I come with an intention to deepen my understanding of ancestral pathways as a diasporic being, while sharing, learning and creating on unceded lands (Melbourne, Australia).

I extend this acknowledgement and pay my respects to peer African and Indigenous peoples across the globe viewing this website.

EK IS LIG, EK IS DONKER (I AM LIGHT, I AM DARK)

Linden Contemporary, Boonwurrung Country - St Kilda
,
12 Sep - 12 Oct 2014

Engraved perspex, 1200mm x 600mm x 6mm

Roberta Joy Rich’s EK IS LIG, EK IS DONKER (I AM LIGHT, I AM DARK) (2014) examines entrenched historical and contemporary perceptions of identity.

Drawing on experiences of ‘racial’ interrogation, the laser engraved perspex works in this exhibition respond directly to instances of cross-examination encountered by the artist. Employing Afrikaans language as both an exploration of the artist’s identity and a reversal ‘othering’, the text seeks to re-position the somewhat ambiguous statement and/or questions that are simultaneously posed, implicating the viewer within its very context.

EK IS LIG, EK IS DONKER (I AM LIGHT, I AM DARK) evokes lyrics of the problematic (for their exploitative appropriation and blackface) South African rap/rave/pop outfit Die Antwoord and tributes the late Gordon Bennett, with reference to his Self portrait (But I always wanted to be one of the good guys), 1990.

EK IS LIG, EK IS DONKER (I AM LIGHT, I AM DARK) was part of Linden's Innovators series of exhibitions that present new and innovative contemporary art. The artists of Innovators 3 use video, installation, drawing and sculpture to investigate notions of identity and our place in the world.

Black mirrored panel engraved with the Afrikaans text “EK IS LIG / EK IS DONKER,” reflecting a blue-lit window.
Black mirrored panel engraved “wat kyk jy,” reflecting a fireplace and another dark artwork.

Photo's by David Marks.

A viewer with dark brown hair tied up, wearing a navy collar shirt with folded arms looks into a black mirrored text work, their face appearing in its dark reflection.

Photo by Nina Ross.

Angled detail of the mirrored work “ek is / wat / ek is,” reflecting a window in shades of blue.

Photo by David Marks.

Installation view of a viewer with glasses and dark brown hair tied up, wearing a navy collar shirt and black pants, is standing before the mirrored work “EK IS LIG / EK IS DONKER,” their silhouette is reflected in its surface.

Photo by Nina Ross.

Front view of the black mirrored work “wat kyk jy,” reflecting a fireplace and another artwork.

Photo by David Marks.

Close-up of the viewer’s shadowed reflection in a black mirrored artwork.
Angled view of the mirrored work “wat kyk jy,” reflecting a viewer standing with their arms folded, a fireplace, and another black perspex reflective artwork.

Photo's by Nina Ross.