

The Circus of The Oppressed.
Series
Tantalising Token
2023
Synthetic polymer paint on plywood
approx. 2000mm x 3000mm
Commissioned by Dandenong New Art.
ID: A giant painted jigsaw puzzle of a vintage styled colourful circus poster with red border filled with diversity tick boxes. Banner / title / title in large scroll read “THE PROGRESSIVE ARTS INSTITUTIONS SELECTS / THE CIRCUS OF THE OPPRESSED’S / TANTALISING TOKEN”. Two circles read ‘THE ONE AND ONLY’ and ‘ONE TIME ONLY’. A darkly melanated femme in circus costume wrestles a large orange and teal snake as she crowd surfs on a sea of pink arms wearing white preparator gloves backdropped by radiating blue lines. The text below reads : “AN EXEMPLARY EMISSARY / UPLIFTED FROM A MARGINAL AND MYSTERIOUS CULTURAL CLOISTER / DEFIES OPPRESSIVE GRAVITY TO RISE INTO THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPOTLIGHT AND HONOUR THIS LIVELY / MOMENT FOR THEIR MINORITY MOVEMENT. UNLIKE ANY OTHER ACT IN THIS ASSEMBLAGE, THE ARCHETYPAL AGENT / DEFEATS A SOLITARY SERPENT OF SYSTEMIC STRUGGLE WITHOUT PERCEPTIBLE FATIGUE OR CHAGRIN. / WITNESS THEIR LIMBER APPRECIATION OF THE EVANESCENT ALLEVIATION OF ALL INEQUALITY ACHIEVED VIA / THE MAGNANIMOUS AND MUNIFICENT INCLUSIVITY OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY SPECTACLE!”