“Exploring Aboriginal Culture Through the Street Art of Reko Rennie”
**Rekospective: The Art of Reko Rennie – A Bold Fusion of Indigenous Identity and Contemporary Art**
*Melbourne, Australia — The Ian Potter Centre at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has opened its doors to a powerful retrospective of Australian artist Reko Rennie, aptly titled “Rekospective.” This exhibition invites visitors into the dynamic world of Rennie, a Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist whose work boldly merges the symbols of traditional Aboriginal culture with contemporary forms such as graffiti, street art, and modern design.*
### **A Subversion of Tradition and Modernity**
At its heart, *Rekospective* challenges outdated dichotomies between “traditional” Aboriginal art and contemporary practices. Rennie uses his art to argue that Aboriginal culture is not confined to the past but is vibrant and alive in modern contexts. Through a collection of works spanning two decades, Rennie critiques colonialism, asserts Indigenous sovereignty, and celebrates cultural resilience.
Visually, the exhibition leans into Rennie’s roots in street art. His signature iconography includes crowns, camouflage patterns, kangaroos, and the Aboriginal flag, which he reappropriates in unexpected ways. From paintings to installations, his art reflects themes of resistance, adaptability, and pride.
### **Highlights of Rekospective**
One of the highlights is Rennie’s symbolic reimagining of the Kamilaroi diamond pattern, a traditional design commonly carved into trees to represent men’s initiation rites. Rather than relegating this motif to its historical origins, Rennie brings it into the present by applying it to unconventional mediums such as spray-painted cars and large-scale canvases. This is evident in works like *“OA_RR” (2016–17)*, where a meticulously hand-painted 1973 Rolls Royce Corniche greets visitors in the gallery’s foyer. Through this piece, Rennie bridges his culture’s historical storytelling with modern interpretations of identity and status.
Rennie’s video works, too, are compelling. In *“OA_RR” (2017)*, the artist drives donuts in Kamilaroi Country, merging contemporary car culture with ceremonial sand engraving traditions. This act of rebellion against linear interpretations of history reaffirms the continuity of Aboriginal heritage.
*“Initiation_OA_RR” (2021)* offers an autobiographical lens. Here, Rennie drives a pink 1973 Holden Monaro through his childhood neighborhood in Melbourne’s western suburbs. The film climaxes with a dramatic series of burnouts on the pavement as an operatic score plays in the background. The marks he leaves behind symbolize both resistance to erasure and the permanence of cultural identity.
### **A Nonlinear Narrative**
Unlike traditional retrospectives, *Rekospective* eschews a chronological narrative. Instead, the show groups works through shared motifs and themes, facilitating thought-provoking dialogues between pieces created years apart. This approach highlights Rennie’s evolving yet cohesive vision, centered on interconnected themes such as identity, land rights, systemic marginalization, and cultural pride.
Recurring symbols permeate the exhibition: crowns as a nod to both Jean-Michel Basquiat and Indigenous sovereignty; camouflage that obscures and reveals Indigenous identity within dominant frameworks; and spray paint cans, stacked to form totem poles in works like *“Message Stick (Totem Pole)” (2011)*. These elements challenge viewers to rethink Western assumptions about art, authenticity, and cultural symbolism.
### **Subverting Expectations with Design**
The NGV’s often elaborate exhibition design works in perfect harmony with Rennie’s thematic ambitions here. In *“ALWAYS” (2021)*, a suite of four canvases featuring bright camouflage patterns, the walls covered in custom wallpaper extend the artwork beyond its frames, allowing Rennie’s imagery to breach the museum’s boundaries. This choice disrupts colonial notions of Aboriginal art being confined to “natural” earth tones, instead embracing neon pinks, bright blues, and rich purples—a vision that feels unapologetically modern.
### **A Missed Opportunity**
While the exhibition is monumental in scope and significance, the absence of an accompanying catalog is notable. A show of this importance, particularly one centered on a living Australian artist addressing themes of Indigenous identity and sovereignty, would have benefitted greatly from a comprehensive publication. Instead, visitors are left with wall texts, though these do offer valuable insights into Rennie’s inspirations and methods.
### **An Exhibition for the Next Generation**
One of the most touching aspects of *Rekospective* is Rennie’s own reflection on his early experiences with the NGV. As a child, he felt disconnected from the Aboriginal objects on display, which seemed relics of the past, unrelated to his contemporary lived experience as a young boy in Melbourne. Now, decades later, Rennie has created an exhibition that bridges this gap—a celebration of what it means to be an Indigenous artist today. The show is as much for his younger