Scottish-Aboriginal born and influenced artist Lin Onus is well known for his combination of Western and Indigenous techniques and contexts. Raised as part of the Yorta Yorta clan, Onus' traditional Aboriginal upbringing on the banks of the Murray River ('White' society) was a major influence in his artworks. This can be seen in artworks such as 'Fish, Barmah Forest' (c. 1994) and 'Kiup Bulla Gookoop (Three Frogs)', which both appear to be set in or around the banks of the Murray River. In the creation of 'Fruit Bats', one of Lin Onus' most known artworks, Onus once again felt as though he belonged to the rich heritage that flourished thousands of years ago.
Lin Onus' Indigenous background influenced many of his artworks and with 'Fruit Bats', Onus made a bold statement, claiming that the land that we live on, the land on which Western society has built their homes, is not theirs. The artwork is from an Aboriginal perspective, showing…show more content… Reds and browns are used to depict the bat’s anger towards the typical White Australian families. Furthermore, the technique used to paint the lines into the bats is a traditional ancient aboriginal skill called ‘rarrk’ . This is used as a link from the ancestors to the bats, giving them power in sacred indigenous sites and providing them with the extra spiritual power needed to overpower the western society. The colours used are earthy and traditional for Aboriginal art. This is another way Onus brings his Indigenous heritage into his artworks. The 100 fibreglass bats work together well as a whole to create symmetry within the artwork. The repitition of bats makes the hills hoist clothesline look small because there are so many bats crowding together on the lines. This is Lin Onus' intention to convey his message that Western society don't belong here; they have stayed past their
