Lin Onus - Fruit Bats

In this weeks lecture one particular piece of artwork really stood out to me. It was by Lin Onus  and titled Fruit Bats (1991). In my opinion this piece strikes me as playful and having a sense of fun. The sculpture features a group of bats hanging off the lines of a Hills Hoist. Each bat is detailed with Rarrk (crosshatching) and at the base of the Hills Hoist there are painted dots representing the bats’ droppings.

This piece combines traditional Indigenous culture and imagery with the suburban Australian lifestyle. I think this is a powerful installation piece as it merges sacred imagery and values with the mundane. It seems to paint the picture of a somewhat ‘suburban dreaming’.