Joan Ross: Have we got everything
The work of Joan Ross is instantly recognisable...
This exhibition sees Scottish born Joan Ross continue her exploration of the enduring effects of colonialism on Australian land and culture. Since the late 1980s, Ross has used a mix of absurdism, melancholy, and a distinctive handmade aesthetic to critique colonial legacies, focusing on race, gender, and the ongoing violence of accumulation in late capitalism.
Her signature use of fluorescent yellow "hi-vis" paint symbolizes encroachment and control, while her recurring exploration of collecting—especially within museum contexts—examines the colonial impulse to dominate and classify. Ross’s work, often incorporating collage and animation, invites viewers to reconsider power structures embedded in cultural institutions.
Winner of the 2017 Sulman Prize at the AGNSW and a three-time Archibald finalist, Joan's work is held in countless major public collections. Most recently Joan's work was presnted in a major survey exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra.
