Bianca Beetson

Bianca Beetson is a Kabi Kabi woman, Born in Roma Western Queensland. Beetson studied a Bachelor of Art Visual Arts (Honours) at the Queensland University of Technology. She was selected for the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Primavera exhibition in 1997. As a member of the Campfire Group she participated in the project All Stock Must Go which was part of the 2nd Asia Pacific Triennial at Queensland Art Gallery in 1996. Her works have been presented in a variety of solo and group exhibitions within Australia and overseas and is held in the collection of Art Bank and Queensland Art Gallery. Bianca’s work is usually pink, with the occasional variation in hue which has become the signature for her work. It is not just the colour pink alone that makes her work so unique, but rather her use of humour and satire to critique issues of importance. Bianca’s work is concerned with her identity as an Aboriginal, the commodification of Aboriginal Culture; the demarcation of Art, Artifact and Kitsch; critique of the social and cultural structures; and the critique of the ‘beauty’ and the ‘feminine’. Her work is blended with references to the work of twentieth century artists such as Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Lin Onus, Rover Thomas, Richard Bell and Andy Warhol.

Artist Statement
SORRY for not being white enough SORRY for calling myself ‘blak’ SORRY for being outspoken SORRY for learning to fight SORRY for all the words I have used in spite SORRY for being jealous SORRY for being proud SORRY for all of those things I have done wrong SORRY I don’t meet your standards SORRY for raising my fist in anger SORRY for wanting to share my culture SORRY for not knowing my totem SORRY for taking so long to know which mob I am from SORRY for not knowing my language SORRY for getting the song wrong SORRY for being determined SORRY for getting so angry SORRY for not falling down SORRY for growing up strong SORRY for breaking the cycle SORRY I work for a living SORRY for not being slack SORRY for getting an education and wanting the same for my sons SORRY I’ve been assimilated SORRY for growing up urban SORRY for being a woman SORRY for being a mum SORRY for not being dumb SORRY for showing compassion SORRY for being so sad SORRY for not believing you SORRY for getting it wrong SORRY for being misleading SORRY for the lies I told SORRY for saying I am SORRY do you really think I am SORRY?

August 2010Bianca Beetson is a Kabi Kabi woman, Born in Roma Western Queensland. Beetson studied a Bachelor of Art Visual Arts (Honours) at the Queensland University of Technology. She was selected for the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Primavera exhibition in 1997. As a member of the Campfire Group she participated in the project All Stock Must Go which was part of the 2nd Asia Pacific Triennial at Queensland Art Gallery in 1996. Her works have been presented in a variety of solo and group exhibitions within Australia and overseas and is held in the collection of Art Bank and Queensland Art Gallery. Bianca’s work is usually pink, with the occasional variation in hue which has become the signature for her work. It is not just the colour pink alone that makes her work so unique, but rather her use of humour and satire to critique issues of importance. Bianca’s work is concerned with her identity as an Aboriginal, the commodification of Aboriginal Culture; the demarcation of Art, Artifact and Kitsch; critique of the social and cultural structures; and the critique of the ‘beauty’ and the ‘feminine’. Her work is blended with references to the work of twentieth century artists such as Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Lin Onus, Rover Thomas, Richard Bell and Andy Warhol.

Artist Statement
SORRY for not being white enough SORRY for calling myself ‘blak’ SORRY for being outspoken SORRY for learning to fight SORRY for all the words I have used in spite SORRY for being jealous SORRY for being proud SORRY for all of those things I have done wrong SORRY I don’t meet your standards SORRY for raising my fist in anger SORRY for wanting to share my culture SORRY for not knowing my totem SORRY for taking so long to know which mob I am from SORRY for not knowing my language SORRY for getting the song wrong SORRY for being determined SORRY for getting so angry SORRY for not falling down SORRY for growing up strong SORRY for breaking the cycle SORRY I work for a living SORRY for not being slack SORRY for getting an education and wanting the same for my sons SORRY I’ve been assimilated SORRY for growing up urban SORRY for being a woman SORRY for being a mum SORRY for not being dumb SORRY for showing compassion SORRY for being so sad SORRY for not believing you SORRY for getting it wrong SORRY for being misleading SORRY for the lies I told SORRY for saying I am SORRY do you really think I am SORRY?

August 2010

Artworks — Exhibitions