Thrive by Charlotte Allingham

 
Image: Thrive by Charlotte Allingham. Courtesy of the artist. 

Charlotte Allingham is a Melbourne-based Wiradjuri, Ngiyampaa artist who creates illustrations that detail her culture, identity and the impacts of colonisation. Her graphic images depict her beliefs, values and ties with the civil rights movement. Her practice also navigates viewers through concepts around community, love, feminism, queer politics, and body image positivity.

Allingham’s protagonists often wield hand-held signs and banners inscribed with text. Allingham is a storyteller and there is a narrative that runs through each of her carefully constructed images.

Ongoing inter-generational trauma and the broader impacts of colonisation are threads that run through her work. However, her characters—frequently women—are strong, powerful and fierce. They are activists, who will resist, survive, thrive and instigate change. Surrounded by emblems of Aboriginal culture, community and their ancestors, these women are resilient, self-determined leaders, who will guide people into the future.

Allingham’s artwork was thrust into the spotlight in 2017 when her image Always Was went viral and became synonymous with Australia Day protests. Then her Instagram follower numbers skyrocketed. Following on from that, in 2018 she was invited to design the posters for International Women’s Day.