Sands & stones may break my bones...
Artist/Maker and role
Blak Douglas (Australian, b.1970): Artist
Production date
2021
About this object
Blak Douglas is a Dhungatti artist based in Redfern, Sydney. His works are culturally and politically charged often carrying a sense of irony and sarcasm. Dave Sands (1926-1952) was a champion Indigenous boxer. He was one of six brothers who boxed under the name of the ‘Fighting Sands Brothers’. Sands held the Australian Middleweight,
Light-Heavyweight and Heavyweight titles and the Empire Middleweight title. He won 97 of his 110 professional fights. Dave Sands died, aged 26, in a vehicle accident at Dungog. Blak Douglas worked closely with the family of Dave Sands to create this portrait of Dave Sands, shadowed by his Mantis Totem.
Blak Douglas has been an Archibald finalist four times, and in 2021 he was the sitter for Euan Macleod's painting which was selected as a finalist in the 2021 Archibald Prize, exhibited at MRAG in 2022. In 2022 he won the Prize with his portrait of artist Karla Dickens, 'Moby Dickens'.
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