MARS is proud to announce the recent major double acquisition of Scotty So’s works by the Art Gallery of Ballarat: Queen of the Begonias and Andrew and James (It was reported that Scott pulled Nesbitt into his arms and held him as he died, sobbing uncontrollably). Another wonderful achievement by Scotty!
This acquisition marks a homecoming for these two pieces. Paying tribute to the Begonia Queens of Ballarat's historic festival, Scotty transformed their narrative into a metaphor for belonging and becoming through his reimagination of the ghost of a contestant with Chinese heritage. Andrew and James, a painted antique wood foldable table, shows details of a pair of queer bushrangers, celebrating a piece of Australia's previously hidden queer history. Scotty is currently working on what will be a series of these tables, each with different historic stories!
Both works encapsulate Scotty’s signature narrative approach, manipulating found objects and existing imageries to recontextualise queer history.
Congratulations Scotty, and we can't wait to see the next table!
