Jenny Fraser. Juried Artist
SAE
Vacant Assembly
Artist Statement
the screen-based world – is it the reflector or the director?
Do we imitate it, or does it imitate us?
The ‘RGB’ triptych explores common colonisation techniques through the “gods eye” of mainstream movies with an international reach. When witnessing a recurring action, some say ‘I’ve seen that movie’. it is an ambiguous expression of dismissal / resignation / fatigue, recognising predictability and history repeating itself. unless of course you haven’t seen the movie or are unaware of the history, then the expression is a way of opening up discussion. naming and defining is a way of breaking down the power of neo-liberal actions. in this instance ‘name that movie’ is a video that’s set up like a guessing game…
The object of the game is to guess the movie through summary cues and a film excerpt. There are only a few (re)colonisation techniques named here, but there are plenty more. if you don’t recognise these movies then when you’re next on the couch – keep your sharp eye open. if you do recognise these colonisation techniques, then you need to get off the couch – with your sharp tongue!
keep naming the movies.
When inspecting a screen up close, we can see that it is also composed of Red, Green and Blue dots, like an aerial view of a landscape or seascape.
‘RGB’ is a video study specific to contested sites. Most movies subconsciously say a lot about culture wars, often mirroring issues of belonging, identity, ownership, entitlement and consequent conflict.
About the artists
Jenny Fraser is a Yugambeh screen storyteller from the East Coast of Australia who utilises popular cultural references as a bridge to decolonise and challenge viewers’ frames of reference. She founded cyberTribe online gallery in 2000 and has refined the art of curating for the screen with a strong commitment to collaboration. Her current focus is in Native foods, body work, floral arts and the use of raw energy to benefit healing and to help people help themselves. Dr Fraser’s work has been exhibited and screened in Australia and internationally. https://wikitia.com/wiki/Jenny_Fraser
Credits: Jenny Fraser