From the South Seas

Australian South Sea Islander Descendents 

24 November 2008 - 22 January 2009
Redland Art Gallery, Capalaba

Gilbert Bel-Bachir’s From the South Seas: Australian South Sea Islander descendants is a Tweed River Art Gallery touring exhibition of 35 powerful photographic portraits of descendants of South Sea Islanders, brought to Australia during the 19th and early 20th century.

This series of Bel-Bachir’s portraits were selected from his collection of over 170 images which were taken between 1988 and 1995, a time leading up to the first recognition by the Australian government of South Sea Islanders as a distinct ethnic group in Australia with their own history and culture.



Image: Gilbert Bel-Bachir, Andy Long – Bundaberg, Qld 1988, silver gelatin print on fibre based paper. Collection of the artist. Courtesy of Tweed Regional Art Gallery. 

From the South Seas: Australian South Sea Islander descendants is a Tweed River Art Gallery Touring Exhibition. Gilbert Bel-Bachir is represented by Josef Lebovic Gallery, Sydney.