Fiona Tan: Sydney

The Biennale of Sydney 2006 invited Indonesian-born artist Fiona Tan to select images from the family photo albums of about 90 residents of the city, to create a wall installation of the photos at the Museum of Contemporary Art, and this book. Tan, who is known for her insightful examinations of the culture of the West through collective portraiture, uses the “vox populi” – the voice of the people – to recreate Australia, in a sense, through these personal snapshots. Loosely arranged into three familiar categories – Portrait, Home and Nature – the photos Tan chooses capture private yet everyday moments, including siblings, first loves and family gatherings. While some photos give clues to the ethnic and class origins of the families, this female artist has processed a nation’s memories here, bringing them together into a more universal portrait that evokes feelings of empathy, nostalgia, identification and shared humor. An engaging full-color album following Tan’s first Vox Populi, Norway.