Part one of Tracey Moffatt's 'Night Cries- A rural tragedy'.
Part one of the film establishes of the controversial plot, and displays the tension between the two characters. 'Night Cries' has widened my understanding of Indigenous art, most prominently of contemporary Indigenous artists. Moffatt weaves symbolism into her work enabling a number of political issues to surface including assimilation, the commercialization of Indigenous art and the complex relationships of a mixed race family. Yet her social commentary is laced with ambiguity, allowing the film to avoid being labeled a ‘protest’ against history. This tactic has become a signature feature of her work, forcing the audience to construct their own conclusions.[1] Further research into the history of Indigenous assimilation highlighted that Moffatt herself, was raised by a Caucasian family. Many of her works have incorporated scenarios from her own life, with stories merging as her own social commentary. This technique has changed my perspective of Indigenous art, previously being only exposed to work from the Central and Western Deserts region. This style of art involves the use of dotting, which has become misinterpreted as the only art form of Indigenous culture.
[1] Catherine Summerhayes, “The moving images of Tracey Moffatt”, http://trfineart.com/pdfs/reviews/0000/0186/Moving_Images_of_Tracey_Moffatt_reduced.pdf, pg 22.
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