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Workshop Outcome: Beyond Botanicals

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A Young Black Kangaroo

Dean Qiulin Li

19.08.2021 - 18.09.2021

In A Young Black Kangaroo, Li documents some of the stories of Woolloomooloo’s public housing community. Through intimate portraits of residents and their homes, created over two years from 2018, the artist challenges stereotypical misperceptions of public housing tenants.

Li draws attention to how public housing supports lower income-earners to live decently in society and explores the evolving character of the community. A community under pressure as the amount of public housing stock declines and entry thresholds defined by ‘need’ are raised ever higher.

A Young Black Kangaroo, Artist Book, 96 pages, hardcover, edition of 30

Trolley, 2018, 20 x 25 cm, framed, Edition 2/3 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper.

Outside of Faith's house

Faith, 2019, digital image [print on demand]

Faith is an indigenous activist who fights for the rights of aboriginal & Torres strait islanders, as well as the minorities in Australia. We had a few cigarettes together in her backyard and she shared some of her bitter past about being both a woman and aboriginal. I photographed her in her living room.

Salmon Curtain, 2019, 20 x 25 cm, framed, Edition 2/3 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

Daniel, 2019, digital image [print on demand]

I didn’t think he would say yes when I ask if I can photograph him. Daniel is a well-known birdman in Woolloomooloo. He sits in his balcony every morning feeding birds. He was an architect who worked across the UK, USA and Australia. I wondered how he ended up here but he never answered.

Pigeons, 2019, 20 x 25 cm, framed, Edition 2/3 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

Ike, 2018, 40 x 50 cm, framed, Edition 2/3 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

Ike was the first person I photograph in this project. Born and raised in Woolloomooloo, he is true Woolloomoolooer. Ike plays guitar in his band and he wishes to make something of it one day.

Passion, 2019, digital image [print on demand]

Inside Ronny's collection room

Ronny, 2019, digital image [print on demand]

Ronny lives alone in his house in Bourke Street. He likes to collect all different kinds of things from old CDs to golf clubs. He recently picked up some photographic lighting from the street and wanted to sell them, but neither of us knows how much they worth.

Con and Chichi, 2019, digital image [print on demand]

Con was a boxing trainer from Rome. His son was murdered 11 years ago and his daughter who was a lawyer developed a mental disorder shortly after. He only had Chi-Chi as accompany when I photograph him. Sadly, Chi-Chi passed away not long after.

Window, 2019, 40 x 50 cm, framed, Edition 1/3 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

Through Con's window

Flamingo, 2019, 20 x 25 cm, framed, Edition 2/3 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

Inside Richie's kitchen

Chair, 2019, 20 x 25 cm, framed, Edition 2/3 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

Riley and Sarah, 2019, digital image [print on demand]

Riley and Sarah are a very cute couple. Riley is the second person to go to university among Woolloomooloo’s young generation. He is studying literature at Macquarie University.

Oscar and Tyriesha, 2019, digital image [print on demand]

I asked Tyriesha and Oscar, how do you guys cuddle? Like this! They responded excitingly.

Love, 2019, digital image [print on demand]

Sabrina, 2020, 72 x 90 cm, unframed, Edition 1/2 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

James (Sabrina's boyfriend) painted Joker and Harley Quinn on the wall of their lounge, Sabrina told me they are their favourite characters, just like themselves.

Richie, 2019, 72 x 90 cm, unframed, Edition 1/2 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

Richie/Cindy Pastel is a retired drag queen used to perform across the country in his time. He said the movie “The

Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” was based on his life story. He sat in his designer couch then I pressed the shutter release.

Andrea and Sons, 2020, 20 x 25 cm, framed, Edition 2/3 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

Andrea has 2 sons and 1 daughter. Her daughter refused to sit in front of the camera. We talked about indigenous housing and the trouble of raising teenagers, nothing much.

Michelle, 2019, digital image [print on demand]

Michelle lives with her young son, Thomas who has Down’s Syndrome. Michelle told me if she didn’t say hi to me on the street it doesn’t mean she is rude or anything. She is going blind.

Ayesha, 2020, 40 x 50 cm, framed, Edition 1/3 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

Ayesha was a famous transgender dancer in Kings Cross from the 70s to 90s. She told me there is a documentary online that was created about her life, but I never checked. I was curious about her background, however she has no knowledge of her past as she was adopted.

Ayesha, 2020, digital image [print on demand]

Ayesha in costume

Rayson, 2019, 40 x 50 cm, framed, Edition 2/3 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

Rayson claims Bruce Lee was his classmate in his primary school in Hong Kong, which may be possible as they are of similar age. He asked me if I know Elvis Presley. He then showed me a laminated print of him with Elvis Presley. He keeps it in his wallet all the time. He was so proud.

School Yard, 2019, 20 x 25 cm, framed, Edition 2/3 + 1 AP, Archival print on cotton rag paper

Jann, 2019, digital image [print on demand]

Jann, who emphasised several times, that she is not like other people in public housing. She described her apartment as her “little palace”. She was the only one who dressed up for the photograph.

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