The Archibald 2020

Blak Douglas has painted Dujuan Hoosan, an Arrernte and Garrwa child healer who was the subject of the ground-breaking 2019 documentary In My Blood It Runs. ‘Dujuan was 14 at the portrait sitting and was in Sydney launching the documentary. In painting the portrait I’ve attempt to marry Dujuan’s divine youth with his inherited ancient wisdom. My customary seven bands in the background represent the Seven Sisters Dreaming, here stylised in the colours? of the Northern Territory flag. The text is written quotes from Dujuan, presented as lines written on a school blackboard.’

Born in 1970 to an Aboriginal father of the Dhungutti people and an Irish-Australian mother, Douglas lives and works in Sydney’s Redfern. Originally trained in illustration and photography, Douglas became a self-practicing artist in the medium of painting. His works are profoundly bold and focus on what it means to be an Aboriginal person in the 21st century.