We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of NSW stands.

Philjames The General Lee (1984–2018)

oil on archival pigment print on cotton rag (colour photograph from artist’s personal archive)

106 x 158 cm; 110.5 x 162.5 cm framed

This is a photo of my siblings and me watching The Dukes of Hazzard when we were little. On screen is ‘The General Lee’, which at the time I just thought was a dope car with a cool pattern on the roof (the confederate flag), completely unaware of American/world history and equally unaware of the history of my country. I’m increasingly interested in just how much politics was fed to me as a child. The characters are quoted from 1940s Hollywood animation studios, which produced propaganda for the US military.

While I cherish this family moment, I realise how pervasive media can be in shaping young minds.

Philjames, 2020