Historical information

Uncle Brian McKinnon (b. 1957 – d. 2023) was a Geelong-based artist and descendent of the Amangu and Wongai people of Western Australia. He created powerful mixed media works that explore his campaign for Aboriginal rights and his childhood experiences growing up in Western Australia.

Scars is a deeply personal and political work that reflects on some of the ways in which Aboriginal people have historically been discriminated against and marginalised because of the colour of their skin and cultural practices. Originally exhibited with two other paintings, it was also made in honour of the artist’s children and their struggle to maintain positive self-esteem.

Uncle Brian McKinnon said his children inherited keloids from their ancestors: ‘These keloids look like body scars. In this work, I have placed them in the past and the presence of their ancestors through the act of beautifying the marks, which reflect the landscape and the identity of the person wearing the beautification marks. Although the marks on my children are not so beautiful and they are ostracised because of them, this made me think of racist policies and of course the referendum and when my people were seen for the first time as being human.’