Jesse Marlow, OAO #1, 2010, pure pigment on archival cotton rag, 53 x 80cm
Jesse Marlow’s dynamic new photographic series, OAO (One And Only), documents the explosion of graffiti in the Central Australian Desert as a vehicle of expression for indigenous youths. Marlow’s fascination lies in the unexpected directness of Australian desert graffiti, compared with the elusive nature of street art in the world’s big cities. In Marlow’s words: The most intriguing thing about indigenous graffiti is that taggers usually write their full name and the community they’re from.
Through a series of vibrant photographic vignettes, OAO (One And Only) illustrates the manner in which graffiti has evolved into the contemporary equivalent of traditional indigenous rock-painting: the voice of “bored and restless youth” in remote Australia trying to make themselves heard.
