Dry your dishes on my culture
KAIT JAMES CHALLENGES AUSTRALIA’S HISTORY WITH A NEEDLE, THREAD AND A SHARP WIT.
Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself. I’m Kait James, a proud Wadawurrung woman and visual artist born and raised on Wurundjeri Country.
What is the concept behind the series Dry Your Dishes on My Culture? Dry Your Dishes on My Culture is the first series of Aboriginal calendar tea towels that I subverted with embroidered images to change the narrative, basically giving them an Indigenous voice. It all started with “Stolenwealth Games”, a 1982 tea towel that I embroidered with Indigenous issues of that year, including the Brisbane Commonwealth Games protests.
Where have the tea towels come from, and what kind of history do they have? I’ve been collecting these Aboriginal tea towels for quite a few years now – they were produced from the late ’60s through to the ’70s and ’80s by non-indigenous people and have stereotypical Aboriginal imagery. The majority were found in op shops and have never been used. I like to think about who bought them, why, where they’ve been for the past 50 years, and why they’ve never been used.
Talk us through some of the imagery, themes and words you’ve used to update them. In order to change the narrative, I’ve subverted the tea towels with images and text, some connected to Indigenous issues from that calendar year, and some with autobiographical elements – things I was doing or interested in at that time, as an Aboriginal person. The themes vary greatly. “Let’s Dance” (featuring the text ‘Treaty Yeah!’) is about the David Bowie film clip from 1983 – that was the first time I saw urban Aboriginal people on TV. “Invader, Game Over” features a tea towel from 1978, the year Space Invaders was released. I embroidered an Aboriginal flag on the laser cannon icon to reverse the narrative in a ‘what if’-style scenario, giving us the power.
What type of techniques and materials have you used? I use the reclaimed cotton tea towels with wool and cotton yarn. I’m particularly drawn to using bright colours, especially fluoro. I’m completely self-taught, so I’m sure an experienced embroiderer would be horrified by my stitches! I think it’s about the message rather than the techniques, though. I predominantly use a punch needle (in a very unorthodox way!), as well as basic hand-embroidery.
Who do you make these pieces for? Initially I was just making the pieces for myself, but then I was fortunate to exhibit the work at the Koorie Heritage Trust in their emerging artist space. I was amazed at the response from that show, and that has led to other opportunities and exhibitions.
Has working on this project made you reflect on your Indigenous heritage in any way? Absolutely – the super-methodical nature of embroidery gives me lots of time to reflect on both my Anglo and Indigenous identity, and express my views. When I was at school, Australia’s history was taught starting with Captain Cook and colonisation, so I’ve learnt so much, not just about my own heritage, but also about broader First Nations culture while researching for each piece.
What could we find you doing when you’re not making art? Swimming, making pottery, making jewellery, hanging out with friends and family, and watching Rupaul’s Drag Race.
Where can we see more of your stuff? Online at kaitjames.com or on Instagram at @kait_james. I also have exhibitions coming up at Geelong Gallery and the Art Gallery of Ballarat.