Jenna Lee
This body of work explores the cross-cultural connections between Larrakia (Traditional Aboriginal Owners of the Darwin NT region) and our near neighbours in the Indonesian archipelago through the telling of the story of The Poinciana Woman.
The Poinciana Woman is a well-known multifaceted narrative with various interpretations on Larrakia Country. She is often depicted as a Larrakia woman haunting a sacred women's site to protect it from young men, or as a traumatised ghostly woman of Malay or Asian origin wandering the shores. The legend has its roots in Larrakia culture and influences of the Kuntilanak (Indonesian name) or Pontianak (Malay name),' brought to our shores by Makassar, Malay and Southeast Asian fishermen. The cross-cultural nature of this story, focusing on women's pain, turned protection of other women and girls, draws me in.
This series of works on paper alter an image taken by notorious photographer a police officer Paul Foelsche. These images depict a gwalanamarrma (banyan tree) c 1870-1914 and originally a glass plate negative.
- Jenna Lee