I am an Aboriginal Australian artist who acknowledges the complex histories of national artistic heroes. By reclaiming objects haunted by trauma and shame, I implore viewers not to forget the histories they embody, but begin constructive conversations that can heal past wounds and offer hope. In this image I dissect 20th-century Australian artist Margaret Preston's iconography with a reverse ethnography, using my personal collection of appropriated Aboriginal fabrics—popular within the tourist sector. As one of the iconic creators of Australian art, Preston was inspired by Aboriginal art and believed that it was essential to establishing a visual language that reflected Australia's landscape and soul.

Tony Albert - Artist Statement for Global Positioning