Homeground artist Naomi Hobson is loud and proud in London

Indigenous multidisciplinary artist Naomi Hobson hopes her photographs offer those on the other side of the world a fresh and homegrown perspective of Aboriginal Australians’ life on country when they are displayed at London’s prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum.

Indigenous artist Naomi Hobson in Brisbane before departing for London where her work will be displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Indigenous artist Naomi Hobson hopes her photographs will offer those on the other side of the world a fresh and homegrown perspective of Aboriginal Australians’ life on country when they are displayed at the prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Hobson is a photographer, painter and ceramist from Coen, in far north Queensland, whose works have been bought by Elton John, fashion designer Christian Louboutin and actor Steve Martin. Now, a photo book featuring a selection of images from her 2019 collection Adolescent Wonderland is being showcased alongside the works of 15 other female and non-binary Australian photographers at the world’s largest ­museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design.

Hobson, a southern Kaantju and Umpila woman, hopes the ­depictions of kids and teens will help to change international perceptions of the next generation of Aboriginal people.

“In the past, we’ve had anthropologists from all over the world come and study our people, and they’ve taken photographs,” Hobson said. “For example, the Donald Thompson collection. You’ve got all these old photographs. You need to update them, London. We’re up to date over here.

Adolescent Wonderland – Baby Pink by Naomi Hobson.

“People think of rural Australia and think the Indigenous people are wild up there. But we’re not, we’re as much engaged as the young person sitting in London.

“(Young people) up to date and engaged with mainstream society, with the world. But they’re also still grounded in culture, they never forget the history.”

Hobson’s greyscale images show the young subjects in full colour, with each photograph named with a quote. She said it shows each person’s vibrant identity. “They’re proud of it; they want you to see them,” she said.

Hobson, 45, is currently in London for the first time to launch another showcase of Adolescent Wonderland at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, which will exhibit until December.

Over the next two weeks, she will also travel to Morocco’s capital, Rabat, where the same collection is on show at La Fondation Nationale des Musees until July 10. The project is presented by Tarnanthi, Adelaide’s Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, and the Art Gallery of South Australia with support from the Australian embassy in Morocco.

“I want people to want to come to Australia and interact with us and see our beautiful country,” Hobson said. “We have a lot to share and give to the world.”

The Adolescent Wonderland photo book will be on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum alongside the works of Lisa Sorgini, Anu Kumar, and Isabella Capezio. Hobson’s self-published book is available via the Vivien Anderson Gallery in Melbourne.