Late last year Western Australian artist Nathalie Haymann exhibited thirty-six artworks based on the book "A Certain Maritime Incident — the Sinking of the SIEVX" in Fremantle. The showing commemorated the 2001 sinking of a refugee boat off the coast of Australia — a crime against humanity about which many controversial questions still swirl.
The entire exhibition is now available for viewing at www.sinkingofsievxpaintings.com.
As opposition leader Tony Abbot steers Australia towards a racist, “Yellow Peril” election and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd answers with inhumanity towards refugees, this exhibition shows the true cost of Fortress Australia: death and misery for the poor and innocent.
Haymann’s artworks are beautiful and each piece is accompanied by an explanation that exposes the whole sordid tale of the SIEVX. The simplicity and clarity of this work should be broadcast far and wide in answer to the Liberal’s shameful advertising that uses red arrows to show a refugee “invasion” of Australia.