MATTHEW MENEZES This is Australia, 2022

pine wood, oil on board and drawing on paper 40 x 55 x 9 cm

My ethnic heritage is a mix of Portuguese, Indian, Hokian, and Cantonese, but most of all I am an Australian. Like the vast majority, I live in the suburbs. This artwork portrays the interior and exterior settings around my suburban house. The exterior images show household features that are familiar to us all, while the interior images depict cultural objects and practices reflecting the diversity within Australian society. We live in spaces and have anthems that are familiar and unify our identity, but we all have unique histories and backgrounds that make our intimate relationships and private worlds.