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