Art Steps for Tony Albert

Hi, my name is Tony Albert and my people are Girramay, Yidindji and Kuku Yalanji. I am an artist and I create all different types of art like videos, drawings, paintings and sculpture. One of my projects is a video called "I am visible", which is about how Aboriginal People are sometimes seen and sometimes not seen in places like TV and books. There is a tension between what is seen and unseen and that is the space in which I create my work. It can sound difficult, but at times in all our lives we may feel very visible and stand out, and there are other times where we may feel alone and invisible. I like to explore these feelings and moments in time.

A target takes away any invisibility. It highlights presence. My practice is about optimism in the face of adversity and it's about engaging in a conversation, and about making this country a better place.

1. Exploring Your Mind Map

Create a mind map. Write your name in the centre of a piece of paper, and then add words around it that describe:

• The things you like and dislike (and why)
• Your favourite qualities about yourself
• You family traditions
• Things that you are passionate about - what makes you smile?
• A hero you look up to and why (they can be real, famous or from a story).

2. Hunt for Materials

Look at your mind map. Imagine each word and find at least 10 items that best match them. Have fun with your items! They could be a shell that reminds you of a holiday, a toy car that you played with before, a shiny piece of jewellery, a feather, playing cards, dice, dried pasta, stickers, magnets. There are so many things you can choose from.

3. Create a Collage Portrait

Arrange your items on a big flat space to create a self-portrait. Don’t worry too much about making it look like you. Your self-portrait is about who you are and not what you look like from the outside. Move the objects around. Try different scenarios or different expressions.

Take a photo, but don't glue your items down! After you’ve taken a photo, try making different portraits by rearranging or adding new items from your list. Get creative with how you use your objects—maybe one portrait is you now, and another is the future you!

What happens if you pile objects on top of each other, rather than around each other? Are there different ways you can present the objects to continue to create really different and diverse portraits.

4. Once you’ve made your work of art ask yourself:

• What is going on in this picture? What do you see that makes you say that?
• Why did you gravitate towards your items? What do they mean to you?
• What do you first think of, when we talk about portraits and identity?