Territory Vanitas

A Territory Vanitas is a reflection on roadside memorials in the Northern Territory, and the way they can represent the juxtaposition of hardship and resilience in our community.

Roadside memorials are a striking and persistent part of the Territory landscape. They mark the sites of tragedy - accidents or acts of violence - and are often built from vivid plastic flowers and sometimes use cross symbolism, similar to a gravestone. Their presence carries a double meaning: it signals grief and loss, yet also honours the life that was lived, echoing funeral traditions of remembrance and celebration.

The roadside cross has a symbolic alignment to the tradition of vanitas painting, which focuses on contemplation of death and the fragility of existence. The funereal tone of the cross is contemplative of the fragility of ourselves and our community that can result in tragedy.

This work also incorporates a floral batik, a familiar fabric in Northern Australia through our strong connection to South East Asia. The focus on flowers across the painting is another nod to vanitas symbolism. Traditional vanitas paintings often used wilting flowers to signal decay and the inevitability of death. Here, the flowers are plastic or printed on fabric, so they are resilient and ‘live’ for a long time, even in the extreme conditions of the roadside.

The flowers longevity is a symbol of the strong resilience that is held by Territory communities, a key attribute to the people that live in Northern Australia.

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Acrylic on canvas

120cm x 90cm