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.

Pigs might fly too

Single channel standard definition video, duration 05:45 mins.

This work reframes the voices heard during a public media broadcast depicting a recently released Nelson Mandela from 27 years in prison, and his visit to Australia in 1990. Featured in the video are the voices of Ray Martin, Nelson Mandela, Professor Gary Foley, Michael Mansell and South African media personnel.

Pigs might fly too was exhibited in The Purple Shall Govern solo exhibitions at Footscray Community Arts in 2022 and the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts in 2023.

Archival footage utilised to create this artwork is courtesy of The Aboriginal History Archive.

Viewed past a curved white bench, a broadcast monitor with headphones sits on a white plinth in the corner of a gallery bathed in magenta light, playing subtitled archival footage of Nelson Mandela speaking into microphones.
In a gallery bathed in pink-purple light, a broadcast monitor with headphones sits on a white plinth playing subtitled footage of a journalist outside Australian Parliament House. The screen is reflected upon transparent perspex set in the floor in the foreground.
A vintage broadcast monitor topped with headphones sits on a white plinth in a corner bathed in magenta light. On screen, a subtitled video shows activist Dr. Gary Foley, a man with dark hair wearing a leather jacket in front of patterned curtains.

Roberta Joy Rich, Pigs might fly too, Footscray Community Arts, 2022. Photo's by Jody Haines.

A flat-screen mounted on a floor-to-ceiling pole in a violet-lit space plays archival footage of Nelson Mandela at a podium, subtitled "South Africa shall be free."
In a purple-lit gallery with two curved white benches bathed in purple, a scaffold pole-mounted flatscreen shows a person holding up the Aboriginal flag, captioned "[White journalist speaks over media footage (erased)]". A spotlit wall text is mounted nearby.

Roberta Joy Rich, Pigs might fly too, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, 2023. Photo's by Dan McCabe.