Vernon Ah Kee

Ah Kee relies on his Aboriginal identity as a framework to produce art; his Indigenous familial identities are intrinsic to his work. Presented alongside Boarder X, cantchant is significantly layered—the surfboards and video connect cultural identities to the disputed territory around Australia’s beaches as it relates to ownership, conflict, and land claims.

Ah Kee’s surfboards reflect traditional shield designs in the colours of the Australian Aboriginal flag, and on the flip side provide beautifully drawn portraits of the family. The accompanying video shows Aboriginal surfers using the artist’s surfboards in fierce competition.