Artist Reclaims 30,000 Racist Objects, Transforms Them Into Hope

An Indigenous artist is turning decades of racist décor into monuments of hope, one souvenir at a time.

Tony Albert, a Girramay, Yidinji and Kuku-Yalanji artist, has been on a mission since childhood to remove every piece of "Aboriginalia" from circulation in Australia. These are the ashtrays, tea towels, velvet paintings and figurines that appropriated Aboriginal imagery for cheap kitsch and casual racism.

What started as a child's delight at finding First Nations faces he could own has become one of Australia's most compelling art projects. Albert thought those warriors on velvet or elders on ashtrays must have been "famous people" back when there were no black Barbies or black superheroes to admire.

Now his work has sharper teeth. His major survey show at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art, called "Not a Souvenir," includes monumental pieces like "Ash on Me," which uses racist ashtrays exactly as designed to horrifying effect. He's created breathtaking collages from cut-up souvenir tea towels, transforming stolen aesthetics into art that celebrates survival.

Albert tracks 30,000 items listed on eBay at any given time with the word "Aboriginal" attached. He's turned off his push notifications because his phone would ping all day long.

Why This Inspires

Albert's work does something remarkable: it spares us the shame of confronting our colonial history while still making us feel its weight. Those objects hidden in our cupboards, too awful to keep but somehow worse to throw away, find redemption in his hands.

"I have reconciled with this stuff," Albert says. "I can use it, I can abuse it." He transforms banality into cosmic blasts of creative change, helping all of us see with open eyes what everyday racism really looks like.

The exhibition includes a national appeal where anyone can bring or send their Aboriginalia to the MCA. Albert will take care of it, turning these reproachful objects into something that honors the ancient culture they once mocked or misused.

His approach comes from a deeply personal place. "Optimism in the face of adversity is how I managed to survive through life," Albert explains. "I've been angry. I still am angry, but the way in which I choose to carry myself is through optimism. It's the simplest answer for me. And it works."

This generosity of spirit shines through every piece. Albert does the hard cultural cleanup work that should make us ashamed, but he does it with hope rather than guilt as his guiding force.

The objects made with affection sit alongside those openly mocking, all of them waiting for transformation. When remade by Albert, they land powerfully, turning theft into truth and appropriation into atonement.

Through his art, Albert proves that even our worst history can become something that celebrates survival.