Richard Lewer

Richard Lewer's 2017 hand drawn animation 'Never Shall Be Forgotten - A Mother's Story' is now on show at Maitland Regional Art Gallery as part of the group exhibition 'Storylines'

Through drawing - which by its nature is defined by erasure and correction - the show dissects Australia's historical timeline, featuring artists who use this medium to challenge the way Australian history is perceived and understood, and offer alternative ways of understanding the past.

In his animation, Lewer investigates a 1983 incident in Western Australia, during which 16-year-old John Pat died as a result of a brawl involving off-duty policemen and aboriginal youth. The policemen were charged with manslaughter but acquitted by an all-white jury. The 5 minute animation tells the story from the perspective of Pat’s mother, Mavis, and how her grief has distilled over 30 years. John's death was pivotal to the Royal Commision into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

December 7, 2021