Sue Kneebone

Unnatural causes (2010), first displayed in the “Naturally Disturbed” exhibition, explores themes of truth-telling, reconciliation, and how people today can address past wrongs. The piece also engages with intergenerational responsibility and the contested history of events such as the Waterloo Bay Massacre.[1] Sue uses mixed media in her work, combining both traditional and modern techniques to create artwork that makes the audience think deeply about such histories. Specifically, this artwork draws on a narrative commonly told in the Eyre Peninsula in which the head of an early settler is discovered in a camp oven pot. The ram skull in the camp oven pot, as well as the headless figure with emu feather cravat, horse tail, dinner shirt, clay pipe and shearing blades, connect different myths and stories that have been passed down through generations. These stories are part of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous traditions, and Sue’s work helps tell these complex, layered histories.

[1] Phillip Jones, Sue Kneebone, Mary Knights eds., Naturally Disturbed, (Adelaide: SASA Gallery, 2010), 5, accessed 27 March 2025, < naturally-disturbed-catalogue.pdf>.

The Art Gallery of South Australia acquired Sue Kneebone’s works, Neat Drop and Angel Inn, both from 2014, following her 2014 exhibition “Deadpan” at Fontanelle Gallery in Port Adelaide. In these pieces, Kneebone attempts to convey colonisation as she searches for truth and meaning of her own family history during such a significant time in Australian history. Neat Drop explores the story of her ancestor, John Mansforth, who was brutally murdered at Skillogalee Creek, north of Adelaide. Angel Inn was inspired by the name of a hotel that her great-great-great grandmother, Mary Bailey worked in order to support her seven children. Much of Kneebone’s work involves field trips to historical sites.[1] To add authenticity to her work, she would include found items such as rocks from the site of Mansforth’s murder, along with domestic furniture like colonial chairs and chandeliers.[2]

Both works feature symbolic objects and imagery, such as references to the land, human figures, and elements that suggest both loss and transformation. These symbols help tell stories about the past while also challenging the audience to consider their relevance in contemporary times. In a similar manner, both pieces engage with the idea of memory, particularly collective memory, by drawing attention to forgotten or suppressed histories. Kneebone’s use of historical references and materials allows her to reflect on how the past shapes the present, especially in terms of how colonial narratives are remembered or overlooked.

[1] Jane Llewelyn, “Sue Kneebone”, Art Guide Australia, 14 June 2016, accessed 27 March 2025, < https://artguide.com.au/sue-kneebone/ >.

[2] Ibid.