“Big Pharmakon”
Steven Rhall
20 Mar → 2 May 2021

Steven Rhall, ‘Big Pharmakon’, 2021, installation view, West Space, Collingwood Yards. Photography by Janelle Low.

Big Pharmakon is a transdisciplinary project exploring the relationship between First Nations artists and the institution, in their various physical, bureaucratic and political forms. Physically bound by the West Space gallery, Big Pharmakon employs ‘exhibition as form’ in response to the presentation of art by First Nations people, positing the exhibition as a slippery site of colonial power. Through multichannel video, performance and installation, Big Pharmakon unpacks inherited colonial power that continues to influence how First Nations people produce and present creative outcomes and the ways these practices are located within artistic and museological histories. This project builds upon Rhall’s recent projects that respond to the positioning, politics and experiences of the First Nations artist working within the colonised space.

Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows 4 semi-transparent fabric sheets in front of 3 windows in the West Space Gallery. The first sheet is red with a small triangular yellow section in the top right. The second shows a segment of a yellow circle bisected by a red triangle in the bottom left over a black background. The third and fourth sheets are completely black. On the ground in front of the sheets are two speakers and a small analog television.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows a semi-transparent sheet in front of a window in West Space Gallery. The sheet is red with a yellow triangle in the top right corner. A small analog television and a speaker sit on either side of the sheet on the floor.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows 4 semi-transparent fabric sheets in front of 3 windows in the West Space Gallery. The first sheet is red with a small triangular yellow section in the top right. The second shows a segment of a yellow circle bisected by a red triangle in the bottom left over a black background. The third and fourth sheets are completely black. On the ground in front of the sheets are two speakers.
The image shows a small analog television sitting on the ground with a red sheet partially visible on the right side of the image. The screen shows a distorted image of 3 people and is connected to the wall with a bright yellow wire.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". A red and yellow sheet covers the right side of the image and a small blank analog television is visible in the background sitting on a countertop.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows 2 semi-transparent fabric sheets hanging in front of a counter with a small analog television in West Space Gallery. The first sheet is red with a small triangular yellow section in the top right. The second shows a segment of a yellow circle bisected by a red triangle in the bottom left over a black background. A small speaker sits on the ground between the two sheets.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows 3 sheets hanging in the foreground. The left most sheet is completely black while the middle sheet shows a segment of a yellow circle bisected by a red triangle in the bottom right over a black background. The right most sheet is only partially visible and shows a yellow triangle in the top left over a red background. Two speakers sit on the floor between the sheets and a small analog television is visible in the background on a countertop.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image is a side on view of 3 semi transparent sheets suspended in the air in the West Space Gallery. The closest sheet is completely black with the back two showing red, yellow and black shapes that are partially visible. A speaker is visible between the sheets on the floor and a projector faces the viewer hanging from the roof in the centre of the image.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows 4 semi-transparent fabric sheets hanging in front of 3 windows in the West Space Gallery. The first sheet is partially visible and is red with a small triangular yellow section in the top right. The second shows a segment of a yellow circle bisected by a red triangle in the bottom left over a black background. The third and fourth sheets are completely black. On the ground in front of the sheets are two speakers. The back wall shows a projection of a representation of a large building-like structure.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows a side on view of 3 semi-transparent sheets hanging from the roof. The closest sheet shows a segment of a yellow circle bisected by a red triangle over a black background. The two sheets in the background are completely black. The back and right side walls show a projection of a close-up of a person with black and white facepaint. 2 large windows are visible on the left side of the space.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The right side of the image shows a large red semi-transparent sheet. The back and right side walls display a close-up projection of a person with black and white facepaint.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows two walls displaying a large close-up projection of a person with white facepaint and black facepaint surrounding their eyes. The person is wide-eyed and looks upwards.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows two walls displaying a large close-up projection of a person with white facepaint and black facepaint surrounding their eyes. The person is wide-eyed and looks upwards.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image is a side on view of two black semi-transparent sheets hanging from the roof in West Space Gallery. Between the two sheets a speaker sits on the floor with a plastic rock sitting behind it.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows two black semi-transparent sheets hanging from the ceiling in front of two large windows in West Space Gallery. In front of the sheets a small speaker and a plastic rock sit on the floor.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows a large close-up projection of a person in black and white facepaint against a white wall. To the left of the wall hang two black semi-transparent sheets in front of a window. A small speaker and a plastic rock sit on the floor in front of the sheets.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". On the left of the image a black semi-transparent sheet is partially visible and suspended from the ceiling. Against the back wall a projection of lines is visible with a small plastic rock sitting in front of it.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows a countertop with a small analog television and a structure made of wood and glass. A large black curtain hangs behind the counter. To the left of the counter are two projections of a close-up of a person with black and white facepaint.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows a countertop with a glass and wood structure with a camera inside of it. A large black curtain hangs behind the counter with a small hole in it.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". On the left of the image a small analog television sits on a countertop on a pile of books. A black curtain hangs behind the counter. To the right of the counter is a large projection of a group of people standing around.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". On the right of the image is a countertop with a small analog television on a pile of books and wood and glass structure containing a camera. To the left of the counter a projection is partially visible showing a series of diagonal parallel lines.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows a small metal plinth resting on a countertop behind a glass and wood cover.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows a small analog television sitting on a pile of books on a wooden counter. The screen displays a live camera feed of the West Space Gallery. In front of the television is a small ceramic ball resting on possum fur. A black curtain hangs behind the counter.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". The image shows a large semi-transparent sheet hanging in front of a window in the West Space Gallery. The sheet shows a small yellow triangle in the top right over a red background. A small speaker and analog television sit on the floor on either side of the sheet
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". In the background 3 semi-transparent sheets hang in front of windows in the West Space Gallery. The left sheet shows a small yellow triangle in the top right over a red background. The middle sheet shows a segment of a yellow circle bisected by a red triangle over a black background. The right most sheet is only partially visible and is completely black. A small speaker and analog television sit on the floor between the sheets. On the right is a countertop with a wooden and glass structure containing a camera.
Installation view of "Big Pharmakon". In the background 3 semi-transparent sheets hang in front of windows in the West Space Gallery. The left sheet shows a small yellow triangle in the top right over a red background. The middle sheet shows a segment of a yellow circle bisected by a red triangle over a black background. The right most sheet is only partially visible and is completely black. A small speaker and analog television sit on the floor between the sheets. On the right is a countertop with a wooden and glass structure containing a camera.

Steven Rhall is a post-conceptual artist operating from a First Nation, white-passing, cis male, positionality. Rhall's interdisciplinary practice responds to the intersectionality of First Nation art practice and the Western art canon. He interrogates modes of representation, classification and hierarchy using installation, performance, process lead methodologies, 'curatorial' projects, sculpture, and via public & private interventions.