Hard-hitting sister I2019
Artist statement:
Ready, willing and able
No erected big top today
no sawdusted arenas or rolls of painted canvas
a dark sideshow has found its way
into a womb of colonial privilege
Star-spangled banners exert unease
Ms Ready emphatically reclaims this sacred space
her legs mirroring the strength of its marble columns
an exotic Koori knockout, she harnesses the spirits
stolen from those caged
in the rusty menagerie over which she towers
These Aboriginal faces reflect historical human zoos
sadly mirrored today in jails countrywide
unnatural spectacles without safety nets
spell-binding juggling acts are needed to sidestep those circuses
as the magicians who manipulate such entertainments continue to shine
ticket prices skyrocket as risks and casualties increase
Mr Ready firmly stands his ground
not just a boxing-tent performer
his fists help him to protect and survive–day in, day out
tattoos share daredevil stories and legacies
scars of resilience
just like tightrope walkers, who demand respect
Knife dodging acts, gun shooting cowboys and bareback riders
fires rage with spectacular damage
evidence of a nation with holes in buckets
which leak more than water
“There's a gaping hole in this bucket, dear Liza,
how on earth can you fix it dear Henry, dear Henry?”
The clowns enter and the show goes on …
www.karladickens.com.au
Also known as Giclee prints or bubble-jet prints, pigment ink-jet prints are generated by computer printers from digital or scanned files using dye-based or pigment-based inks. A series of nozzles spray tiny droplets of ink onto the paper surface in a precise pattern that corresponds to the digital image file. In dye-based prints the ink soaks into the paper, whereas in pigment-based prints the ink rests and dries on top of the paper surface.
Whilst the term is broad, pigment ink-jet prints have come to be associated with prints produced on fine art papers. They are the most versatile and archival method of printing available to photographers today. A wide variety of material on which an image can be printed with such inks are available, including various textures and finishes such as matte photo paper, watercolour paper, cotton canvas or pre-coated canvas.
