Indigenous Madonna

A beautiful photograph of a King Island indigenous woman and her child inspired this piece. I was drawn by her slight smile, which I have found to be a rarity in photographs of indigenous people.

I had a long internal debate on whether or not to include the Christian cross that the woman is wearing. I am well aware of the abuses perpetrated by those who took it upon themselves to try to convert the native people. However, I eventually added the cross because I got a strong sense that it was something important to the woman, regardless of how history now views the phenomenon.