WE ARE ONE – The First XI celebrates the journey of the all Aboriginal First XI cricket team of 1868 to travel to England, playing 47 matched in 127 days. The body of work features current Australian Indigenous cricketers, direct descendants of the First XI, and Elders from mainland Australia and the Torres Straight.
The artwork and portraits are conceptual portraits by Claire Letitia Reynolds of the 1868 AboriginalFirst XI team, and aim to champion this significant piece of Australian history.
Reynolds has produced a series of artworks utilising analogue and digital processes with hand developed films and handcrafted dies from native Australian species, referencing the unique connection between Australian indigenous people culture and Country.
Accompanying the portraits, Sasha Parlett presents a series of vignettes that take a documentary look into the oral history of cricket in Australia. Through discussions light is shed on the issues First Nation cricketers are faced with today.
Reynolds received arts funding for the project, through Sunshine Coast Regional Arts Funding, Arts Queensland, and Australia Council.
