“History Lesson continues my interest in reinterpreting Australian history as it was presented and produced using industrial printing processes.
I first encountered this school map (first printed in 1927) as it was being discarded by a local secondary college. What struck me was how much of our European history before 1770 is not accredited or taught as part of our multi-cultural evolution.
As I studied the map further, I came to the realisation that it was also a detailed visual history of Australia’s COLONISATION, under the guise of ‘discoveries’. All that was needed was the acknowledgement of the word and the addition of the definition, to be more historically accurate.” — Clayton Tremlett

Clayton Tremlett is a contemporary Australian printmaker whose practice engages with the narratives and mythologies underpinning Australian history. In 'History Lesson', Tremlett continues his long-standing exploration of how historical narratives are constructed and disseminated.

Printed directly onto a discarded 1927 school map, the work overlays the word “Colonisation” and beneath it, the definition “the action or process of settling among and establishing control over the Indigenous peoples of an area.” Through this gesture, Tremlett reactivates an educational artefact to expose the enduring imprint of colonial frameworks within Australian society. The 2023 screenprint layer transforms the map’s original didactic purpose, recasting its colonial logic as the very subject of the work.

Tremlett’s practice combines conceptual rigour with technical innovation in printmaking. His work has been exhibited widely across Australia and is held in the National Gallery of Australia, Geelong Gallery, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Bendigo Art Gallery, and numerous public and private collections.

For examiners of Australian history, History Lesson offers a profound and reflective encounter with the narratives that shape national identity.

Clayton TREMLETT (1964 - )
'History Lesson' 2023
screenprint on repurposed school map (from circa 1927)
Image Size: 146 x 153 cm
Comes with Letter of Provenance
Condition: very good
(c) The Artist or Assignee