Portraits in this selection were part of the exhibition Rosalie Favell: Indigenous Artists Facing the Camera, on view at The Block from September 20–December 3, 2023. Rosalie Favell (b. 1958) is a photo-based artist who draws inspiration from her Métis heritage and family to create complex self-portraits and portraits. For her series Facing the Camera (2008–18), Favell photographed Indigenous members of arts communities in North America and Australia, producing 500 photographs. This work is a rewriting of history and a living art history—a critical intervention in expanding the visibility of contemporary Indigenous artists and arts professionals.
Facing the Camera strives to present the diversity of arts communities and to push beyond stereotypical and one-dimensional representations of Indigenous peoples. The black and white photographs reference the problematic relationship between Indigenous cultures and the camera, which has historically been used as a tool of domination. With stark white backgrounds that serve as blank canvases, Favell creates individualistic portraits that speak loudly of the broad diversity of people engaged with visual culture and beyond. Viewed as a whole, the series asserts the presence of a contemporary, global, multi-dimensional, and vibrant Indigenous arts community.
