Having lived in Canada for fifteen years, one of the first artworks I wanted to see, on my return, were the works of Aboriginal/Indigenous artists. I wanted to know what they were painting and, most importantly, what colours were being used.

Of course, first were works of the great influential artist, Albert Namatjira, then the astounding Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Gloria Petyarre, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Dorothy Napangardi, Naata Nungurrayi and many more.

But it was Rover Thomas who I was drawn to. Why?

Simply, his artwork “appeared” to lean towards modernism, a form of visual language where stories of ‘country’, present and past, are a counterpoint to his direct observation of the landscape and identifiable locations.

The deceptively simple yet powerful imagery of his paintings unequivocally stamps his work as a form of sophisticated, modernist abstraction of universal appeal. SOURCE

Below, respectfully, honoring his comparatively brief but intense creative life is my homage to this fine artist.

When I read about his painting titled “Bedford Downs Massacre”, the work above is my interpretation of this despicable period in our Australian history. The painting by Rover Thomas (see work below of his painting) depicted the site of a massacre that happened around the time Rover Thomas was born. White settlers perpetrated several massacres in the East Kimberley region. This period is called the ‘killing times’ by local Aboriginal communities. Throughout his career Thomas depicted several massacre sites in his artwork.

ROVER THOMAS’ ACCOUNT OF THE MASSACRE

During 1924, the manager of Bedford Downs distributed strychnine-laced rations to the workers on the station. As they were dying they were shot. Wood collected earlier was used to cremate the dead and it is understood that only one man escaped. The station manager on Bedford Downs Station instructed some of his Aboriginal workers to gather loads of firewood using a dray. This wood was then distributed in piles throughout the ration camp. The manager also gave out provisions of beef, bread and ham laced with strychnine. Managers from adjacent stations also congregated there and helped to shoot and kill the victims, who were incapacitated and suffering from excruciating pain. Later they used the piles of firewood which the workers had collected earlier to cremate them. Only one man escaped by fleeing to a high hill where horseman cannot follow. Source

When the “Bedford Downs Massacre” painting was displayed at Venice, the exhibition catalogue referred to it only as Bedford Downs, leaving out the violent historical reference. Many felt that this significantly altered the cultural importance of the works, and in doing so silenced the retelling of a disturbing part of Australia’s history

Rover Thomas’ work has been widely exhibited and collected and he is recognised as one of the most significant Aboriginal artists of the late 20th century. Thomas sadly died in 1998 aged around 72.

Rover Thomas, Bedford Downs Massacre, 1985 - earth pigments and natural binders on canvas 95.7 x 179.7 x 4.2cm.

Before I go any further I ask that readers should be aware that this post contains references to members of the Indigenous community who have passed away.

Photography Source: ROVER (Julama) THOMAS 1986 Martin van der Wal

I loved when Rover spotted a Mark Rothko masterpiece he asked, “Who’s that bugger? He paints like me!”