Michael Cook is an Australian photomedia artist whose cultural heritage is with the Bidjara people of south-west Queensland. Based in Brisbane, Cook explores themes of Indigenous identity and colonial history. His series The mission comprises ten photographic portraits that together narrate the story of an Aboriginal woman as she is forced to journey from her homeland to life on a Christian mission. Through the series, the woman is shown with a variety of props that aid in the telling of her story. She is introduced to colonial clothing, as well as colonial products such as tobacco; she is also exposed to Christianity, marries, and gives birth to a baby. For the images in this series, Cook has merged his portraits with a range of archival images, including postcards and photographs, creating a historical, dreamlike aesthetic. While imagining a journey from the past, The mission also offers hope for the future by returning the woman to her homeland in the final image of the series.
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.
